The Lady Knight's Squire
by Rusting Roses
Summary: We all know how Kel's years as a squire went...yet it was Neal who faced four years with the infamous 'Lioness'. How did Neal fare those four years? Welcome to Squire, told from Neal's perspective.
1. Plans

[Updated 1/12/09] I'm going through the story now, as several kindly reviewers have pointed out grammatical and other mistakes, and I've finally taken it upon myself to fix them. Yeah, I probably should have done it long ago, but sometimes it's easier to push forward than to go back.

Well, this is my first Tamora Pierce story. The premise is Squire from Nealan of Queenscove's point of view. How exactly does he enjoy being squire to the famed Lioness, and what exactly happens while he is her squire? These question's and more will be answered in the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Plans: a proposed or tentative project or course of action**

Lady Knight Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau was a common sight in the palace. As the King's Champion and close advisor, any time she was at the palace, she could often be found with either the King Jonathan himself, or one of her many friends that also resided within the ancient walls.

Perhaps that's what made her destination so unusual; as a healer herself, Alanna had no real reason to see Duke Baird of Queenscove, yet that was her sole reason for visiting the castle instead of staying at home at Pirate's Swoop, despite the month of leave that she had been given.

A wide-eyed healer stammered upon seeing Alanna's violet eyes fixed upon her, babbling about how the Duke was with a patient and thus unavailable at the moment. The knight's temper sparked a little at the silly behavior, but time had taught her how to bite back on criticisms. "That's fine," she announced instead, taking a seat in the open area that lead to the various healers rooms. Instead of putting her at ease, this made the young healer even more nervous- she hovered around Alanna until the woman just wanted to gag her so as to enjoy a moment of silence.

Duke Baird rescued her from the healer's insistent attentions. "It's okay, Lea," the Duke reassured the young woman, and beckoned for Alanna to follow him. "Thank you for coming on such short notice," The Duke's warm smile made his green eyes glitter. He led Alanna to his private office, pouring her some fresh grape juice and offering her some food. She declined, eager to find out what could be so important that the Duke wanted to speak with her in person_._

Despite of Alanna's wishes, Duke Baird didn't seem willing to broach the topic of concern which had forced him to send a letter to the lady knight earlier in the summer. The Duke dawdled for a moment or two over his own drink, staring at the soft reflections from the streaming sunlight that had bounced of the glass. "Do you know of my son, Nealan?" Duke Baird began almost abruptly, intense green eyes finding Alanna's violet ones.

"I know that he was Keladry of Mindelan's page sponsor, and that they are close friends," Alanna cautiously agreed, unwilling to admit to the Duke just how closely she had been following the girl's training. "I also have been told that he didn't start page training until he was fifteen, and was at the University before that."

Duke Baird nodded. "Until Jared and Aiden died in the Immortal's war, I was perfectly content to see Neal follow in my footsteps and become a healer by studying at the University. After they passed, Neal decided that he would become a knight, despite all of my wife's- and my- protestations. He had gotten it into his head that someone living from the family had to be a knight. Neal announced it was his duty as a Queenscove, and would begin training as soon as possible. I'm sure you can understand our distress- after losing two sons before him, we weren't as willing as he was to dedicate another Queenscove to becoming knight."

Alanna thought of her youngest, Aly, and smiled a little tightly._ I think I know more of failed expectations than you might admit_, she thought. Her own daughter had no interest in becoming a knight! It was hard for parents to see children choose paths that the parents themselves did not wholly advocate.

Duke Baird barely stopped to acknowledge Alanna's agreement. "It was fine, for a while. Neal, though the stubborn boy he is, he did well enough as a page. However, after those bandits…"

Alanna didn't need Duke Baird to tell her of the story. She was one of the first to know about the bandits that had attacked the young pages, and she felt that familiar swell of pride whenever she thought about Kel, and how well she was doing, even beyond Alanna's wildest dreams. "Continue," she said, shifting in her seat so as to be more comfortable.

The Duke paused, almost unwilling to continue. "He had nightmares for a long time," Neal's father admitted quietly. "After he realized he could do nothing to heal the other injured pages, the stubborn child took it into his head that he was going to become a healer too, studying as much as possible during summers, free time- whenever he could manage, actually."

"Duke Baird," Alanna began, a little sadly. She knew where this was heading; she could understand Neal's feeling, but she had other thoughts about having a squire.

"Please, Lady Alanna. You are a healer whose talent equal to mine, and if you devoted your time solely to healing, in my old age, I would be out of a job. I cannot dedicate any time to Neal's studies, even if he were here at the palace to take them. Few other knights are able to heal as well-" the Duke's voice became unmistakably pleading, but Alanna continued shaking her head.

"I'm sorry," Alanna said. "I am not going to take anyone on as a squire right now."

"Is there anyway for me to get you to reconsider?" Duke Baird's green eyes were begging Alanna to say yes, but Alanna shook her head, making sure that even Duke Baird felt the finality of it.

"The King might know someone who is willing to take on a squire with Neal's unique talents," was all the comfort that Alanna could offer, and Duke Baird nodded, acquiescing to the female knight's refusal. He had knew that there was no way to change his friend's mind.

Alanna stood, and the two nobles bowed politely to one another, before the stocky knight took her leave, sedately making her way to the rooms that were kept should she ever stay at the palace.

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing; it had taken a long time for her to realize that not every single spare moment needed to be filled with work. It was nice, on occasion to take a break. As the sun began to creep towards the western horizon, however, Alanna stirred, knowing she needed to get ready for the evening's meal.

The woman changed into a deep bronze dress that made the color of her hair sparkle and glitter. Discreet chocolate brown embroidery danced its way at the edges of her sleeves and across her entire skirt. Tiger's eyes, set in gold, completed the look, and satisfied that her appearance was proper for the evening's entertainment: a quiet dinner with Jon, Thayet, Buri, Myles and Gary, she gave her reflection in a small mirror a brief nod. Before joining her friends, however, Alanna opened her hand out in front of her used her magic to open a speaking portal about six inches across. "George?" she questioned.

George took a moment to look up, but smiled widely when he noticed his wife.

"Hello, lass," George said. A smile blossomed on Alanna's face, love for her husband growing in her chest.

"Hello, laddy-me love," Alanna returned, eyes glowing softly with happiness.

"Are you calling to answer just why Duke Baird needed to see you?" George asked, curiosity over the unanswered question filling his eyes.

Alanna scowled a little. "He wanted me to take Neal on as a squire."

George needed no explanation as to who the boy was. After years of listening to his wife speak of Keladry, the man felt that he knew the girl and her friends as well as Kel's own mother. He whistled for effect though, raising his eyebrows. Alanna didn't need to hear George's voice ask the question to know it was there, hanging in the air. "I said no," she informed tartly.

"Are you sure that's wise?" George's level eyes prevented Alanna from bristling to far.

"He would be _my _squire," Alanna shot back. "And don't think that I'm holding out, hoping Jon will let me be her knight master. He made _that _clear enough." It was still a sore spot, and though there had been wisdom in Jon's decision four years ago to keep her out of Kel's life, it would probably ache for a while yet. At least the King didn't suspect that Alanna was the source of Kel's mysterious gifts, assuming he knew of them.

"Then why don't you take him on?" George asked. "If I'm not mistaken, love, this is the first time someone has sought you out as a knight master. Perhaps it's a good idea. You could probably round out his learning as a healer."

_Is there nothing he doesn't know? _Alanna asked herself. "I want a female squire for my first squire," she finally announced as flatly as she could. It was a tone that she felt brooked no argument.

Apparently, her husband wasn't in the same mind about that tone, because he opened his mouth to make another good point about taking Neal on as a squire. He shut his mouth though, and Alanna hoped that would be the end of the matter. She held back an annoyed sigh as George opened his mouth once more, only to say, "Just sleep on it, Alanna. Don't waste a good knight-healer because you want a female squire."

Alanna made a face, but agreed, allowing their discussion to stop before either was aggravated. Their talk turned to other pleasantries, but too soon for the pair the first bell of the evening rang. "I have to meet Jon soon," she told George, and the former thief smiled.

"Tell Johnny I say hello," George said wickedly, corners of his eyes creasing with laughter.

Alanna laughed outright. "I will, I promise. I love you."

"Love you too, Alanna."

With their goodbyes said, Alanna allowed the portal to disappear, and she considered cosmetics for a moment, before hastily applying some face powder, blush and lip color. Satisfied, Alanna tucked her hair behind her ears and left her rooms.

Dinner was both relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable. The friends teased one other with easiness that they rarely had time for these days. Laughter floated around the room, as memories from their childhood were told as stories for the entertainment of Thayet and Buri. Even Myles was surprised by a few retellings.

Too soon the dinner ended, and the friends slowly parted. Gary was the first to go, claiming Lady Cythera was eager to discuss their eldest's daughter's possible engagement, and his pained look had Alanna and Buri cackling while Jon and Myles shook their heads. It was Buri who left next, toting a tipsy Myles back to his rooms and leaving the rulers and Alanna together. The three friends saw each other rarely enough that any time alone was appreciated. However, after no more than ten minutes of peace, both Jasson and Vania came tearing in to the room, having escaped from their nurse and the guards in order to see their parents.

"Mama! Papa! Auntie 'Lanna!" Jasson shouted, chubby face proud of having run away, and even happier that he found his parents. Vania's shy face could barely be seen, for she had run to her mother and buried her face in Thayet's skirts at the first opportunity.

After calming the children's nurse and sending her back to Jasson and Vania's rooms, Thayet, Jon and Alanna spend a few moments listening to Jasson's eager story, which could only be deciphered to the point that it seemed to involved an ogre, an ear of corn, and river. After nodding appropriately at the right places (namely when Jasson paused to stare at his family expectantly) and trying to get Vania to remove her face from the queen's skirts, Thayet gently pulled the two children out of the room, promising that after they were tucked in, Jon would come and read them their bedtime stories.

The excited squeals left Jon smiling fondly as the threesome left.

However, the light-heartedness was not to last. "Alanna, I need to speak with you about Nealan of Queenscove" Jon began as soon as Thayet had closed the door behind her.

The good mood in the air began to disappear, and Alanna frowned. "It's my choice as to when and whether I choose to take on a squire, Jon," Alanna reminded him crossly, but Jon held up a patient hand.

"I know. But just hear me out, okay?" Jon waited until Alanna nodded stiffly, and then continued, saying, "First off, I can't deny that having another knight who is also a healer is not unwanted by the crown. However, you should also know that Squire Nealan is a close friend to Squire Keladry, and as such, you would have a legal and obvious excuse to speak with Keladry. In a public setting, of course."

Alanna rolled her eyes at his attempt at coercing her. "Have you lost your mind?" She asked softly, temper lacing the oft-uttered words with a hint of anger. "You know perfectly well that realistically no one will want Kel as a squire. They fear the conservative's anger, if they're progressive, and of course the conservatives themselves won't touch her. Even then, they'll have her in bed with her knight-master before the day is out."

"And you _still_ can't be her knight master either, Alanna." Jon reminded, "Or you'll just make life even more difficult for her, because even the progressives will wonder how fairly she got her shield."

"I know!" Alanna said tightly, eyes snapping. "But that doesn't mean I should take her best friend!" Alanna could only imagine what Kel must be going through. She remembered vividly how worried she had been when she had thought Jon would pick someone else for a squire. Ilane of Mindelan had met her once, many years ago when the family had come for a trip to Tortall to see her family. Even then the young Kel had heard stories of the great Lioness, and told her family that she was going to be just like her. Ilane had told her, laughingly, that she pretended that she was Alanna's squire, and though her heart was warmed at the time by the sentiment, Alanna didn't actually believe that the girl would go through with it.

Yet here she was, and Alanna was sure that dream hadn't died. To take Keladry's best friend might be too harsh an injury to recover from, and Alanna had no interest in alienating the girl.

Jon let her mull over her thoughts in silence, recognizing the deep thoughts that his friend and Champion was processing.

"You know," Jon said aloud as Alanna seemed to reach the end of her thought. "There is one way that Squire Keladry can earn her shield and not a single person will be able to make a peep about it."

Alanna made a questioning noise.

"Raoul."

Alanna's eyes flashed up to meet Jon's, her thoughts instantly starting to race with the possibilities. "She'll be obvious. She'll be all over with the King's Own, and more than enough people who want to see her fail will see that she has no magic workings on her. It will also get her used to the conservatives, and the conservatives to her." Lips curled up into a smile. "Were you always this devious?" Alanna accused Jon, eyes sparkling with more light then there had been in a while. Alanna's smile dimmed the more she thought, however. "But Raoul doesn't ever take squires. He doesn't need them," she fretted.

"Then you'll just have to convince him," Jon told her promptly.

"But how…" Alanna trailed off, deep in thought once more.

"Jon?" Thayet stuck her head in the room. Alanna, still in thought, barely acknowledged the woman, and waved an idle goodbye as Jon left the room to tend to his children.

Thayet looked up at her husband through curled lashes. "Are things all solved?" she asked, one eye on her friend, still sitting in front of the hearth.

Jon grinned, flashing a white smile in the dim corridor. He tugged Thayet against him, and she put an arm around his waist. "You know what, my dear? I think they are."

* * *

Raoul arrived at the palace late afternoon two weeks later, perspiring. Even for summer the day was unusually hot, and the Third Company of the King's Own was happy that cool baths were nearly at hand.

Alanna was waiting for him in the stable, lounging back against the stable wall. She glanced up at him, greeted him with a smile that had a touch of something hidden beneath it. Anxiety perhaps? Before Raoul could get to questioning though, Alanna was greeting him and the others of the Own that were familiar to her. Then, having extended her greetings, she took a few steps back and waited patiently for the members of the Own to empty out of the stable. Taking the hint Raoul lingered, taking his time caring for Drum.

Once the stable was empty, Raoul dragged a weary hand across his brow. Alanna frowned, as if just noticed the knight's sweat-stained clothing and damp dark curls. Her tense expression softened a little bit. "It's not that important. Bathe and relax. I'll get a meal together for us. I need to talk with you about something."

"That much I gathered." Raoul's eyes were snapping with good humor, but he wasn't about to wait any longer for a bath, and trusting Alanna to be as good as her word, waved a quick goodbye.

They met up again about two hours later, Raoul joining Alanna in her chambers. "Now it's time for a proper greeting," the big man smiled, and swept the short woman up in a crushing hug that she joyfully returned.

"How was your trip?" she asked courteously.

Raoul laughed outright at that. "Come now, Alanna. I know you far to well. No pleasantries, as if we were nobles fit only to sit and smile. What's on your mind that you were waiting in the stable for me to arrive?"

Alanna bit her lip. "I want you to take Keladry on as a squire," she said bluntly, violet eyes boring into Raoul's black ones.

Raoul blinked once and then twice, before breaking out into a full bodied laughter that had him visibly shaking. Alanna couldn't muster a reply, the laughter being far out of the realm of what she had considered an appropriate response.

"Raoul?" she asked tentatively.

Raoul wiped his streaming eyes. "Do you think the Trickster God plans these things out?" he asked, still chortling happily.

"Why?" Alanna demanded, beginning to get impatient with her friend. "What are you talking about?"

"Alanna, when I came back, one of my goals was to ask you and Jon what you thought about me taking Kel on as a squire!" Raoul exclaimed, and Alanna's wide-eyed surprise only made him laugh more.

"Really?" she said, astounded. "I didn't expect…I mean, you never…"

Raoul nodded his head. "Normally I have no use for this sort of thing. I simply don't need a squire, because the Own has standard bearers and such." The smile took on a more serious tone. "But think about it Alanna. Even you probably know more about the Yamani people then I do. I've been on the road so much, I hardly know anything about the people from who will be our allies. And with the Grand Progress coming up, I'm going to need all the help I can get."

Alanna nodded her head, and when she didn't open her mouth to add anything, Raoul continued, saying, "She also shows the possibility of being a strong commander. She has a level head, is smart…I've spoken to most of her teachers in combat and in books, and they have all given solid reports. All in all, if I'm going to have a squire, Keladry is the sort of person that I need with me." Raoul ended his speech with a shrug.

Alanna nodded her head, agreeing with everything that Raoul was saying. "I didn't realize that you'd put that much research into asking her to be your squire."

Raoul shrugged again. "The only reason to have a squire is that you can teach them something they'll find useful. In this case, she'll be particularly useful to me as well. There are many commanders that might take Kel on, but her skills with Yamani's are useful to me more than anyone else in the progress at this point."

Alanna could understand Raoul's train of thought, and a wave of relief, tinged only with a touch of jealousy, crashed through her. "Thank you, Raoul," she finally said, her voice barely carrying across the small table between them.

"It's no problem, Alanna," Raoul reassured her.

Raoul's stomach rumbled, expertly breaking the emotion that was rising between the pair, and they exchanged identical grins and Alanna laughed, saying, "Let's eat!"

* * *

After her complete refusal, Lady Alanna was the last person Duke Baird expected to see let into his office by Lea.

"Please, come in, Lioness!" the Duke was quick to stand and motion at the chair across from him.

Alanna shook her head, leaning casually against the doorway. "This won't take more than a few moments," she promised.

The Duke waited for Alanna to reveal what she needed. A tiny hope flared, praying that Alanna had reconsidered, and was willing to take Neal on as a squire.

"I've thought it over, and I'll accept the offrt to take on Neal as a squire, as long as he doesn't have any protest," Alanna declared.

Duke Baird nearly fell out of his chair with surprise. He hadn't actually thought that might be the reason. "Truly?" he asked, needing to hear the agreement again.

Alanna was tempted to roll her eyes, but resisted the impulse, instead saying, "Yes," in a steady voice.

"Thank you!" Duke Baird exclaimed, the words barely processed by his brain before they were in the air, and many more profuse thanks followed.

Alanna casually waved them away, blushing uncomfortably. "How soon can I meet with Neal?" she asked, focusing the healer's attention.

"He's with his mother in the city at the moment," Duke Baird answered. "I can ask him to come back tomorrow, though, so-"

Alanna was already shaking her head. "When would he normally be coming back?" she asked instead.

"Three days from now," Duke Baird said.

"Am I interrupting?" King Jonathan of Conté asked, rapping on the wood frame. Lea fluttered nervously around the King, unsure of how to handle things. Duke Baird kindly motioned that she could return to he seat in the other room.

Both Alanna and Duke Baird paused then, to bow to their ruler. "No, Your Majesty," Duke Baird said with a smile. "We were just discussing when Lady Alanna would like to speak with my son about being Lady Alanna's squire."

The King smiled a little. "That's perfect then. That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you both about. I would like to be there when you talk with Nealan. As I understand, he is a very forthright, intelligent young man- who will most likely protest the position he is being offered in deference to Keladry."

Duke Baird winced a little, but didn't argue. "Of course, Your Majesty. When would you like to speak with him?" the Duke deferred to King Jonathan, who turned to Alanna.

"May I join you when you make the offer?" He said as though it were a question; as it had come from her King, however, Alanna knew that there was no choice in the matter.

"Of course," she agreed evenly. "When Neal gets back from visiting his family in the city, I'm sure Duke Baird will be more than happy to make the arrangements with his son for, say, the following afternoon?"

Duke Baird nodded, declaring that should present no problems.

"Then we are in agreement?" the King asked, studying both Duke Baird and Alanna's face carefully. They both nodded, faces serious with their intent.

King Jonathan smiled a little more widely, and nodded and acknowledgement of their decision, before leaving the Duke's office to resume his normal duties.

_All I can hope, _Alanna thought, a touch annoyed. _is that Neal accepts the offer after we've gone through all of this trouble!_

_Though will I really blame him if he doesn't?_

* * *

Duke Baird rode out into the city with a broad smile on his face, ready to see his wife, two daughters, and two remaining sons.

"Hello!" he called out as he entered the casual abode near the outskirts of the city, where his family stayed for part of the year.

"Daddy! Daddy!" And excited voice shouted. "You're here!" Torri came pelting down the steps at full tilt, followed by her younger sister Odelle. His wife followed them at a more serene pace, while Neal and Alex were nowhere to be seen.

Duchess Illia somehow found a way to cheerfully kiss Baird's cheek despite the two wriggling little girls that were very eager for their father's attention. He spared them a joyful hello, and sent them back to their lessons, promising to spend the afternoon with them, but he took his wife by the arm, leading her to the sitting room, where he asked urgently, "Where's Neal?"

"Out tending to his horse," Illia responded, brow furrowing at the intent look that the Duke was giving to her. "Why?"

Duke Baird clasped his Duchess's hands in his own. "You know how I told you that I might have an excellent prospect for Neal?"

Illia nodded, but a perplexed frown quickly overcame her features when Baird didn't continue. "And?" she prompted.

"Well, the prospect was Lady Alanna," Baird told her.

The Duchess's eyes widened in awe and shock. "Did she agree?"

Baird nodded, wide smile creating crows feet at the edged of his eyes, and creasing his cheeks.

"She has agreed to give Neal the offer!" he exclaimed, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. "But whatever you do, please don't tell him. I want this to be a surprise."

His wife agreed readily, and Baird kissed her cheeks again, embracing her in a hug. "I want to go tell Neal that he has another prospect, dear."

"Of course, of course!" Pride for her eldest living son glowed in her eyes. "Be off with you!" She made a shooing motion with her hands, and Baird left, chuckling at his wife's glee.

When he found Neal, Baird raised an eyebrow. Neal had long since completed tending to his horse and was now sitting on a hay bale, completely absorbed in a book. "Neal," Baird said softly. Sharp eyes turned from the book to look at him.

"Father!" Neal was clearly surprised, but a smile crossed his face as he stood up, giving his father a brief hug. "I saw your horse come in. How are you? What are you doing here? Did something happen?"

Baird laughed. "I'm fine, and I'm here to tell you a knight spoke to me about taking you on as a squire."

"Who?" Neal asked curiously, tilting his head, bright eyes staring at his father.

Duke Baird smiled. "That's a secret. The day after you come back, come to my quarters, and I'll introduce you."

A wrinkled nose marred Neal's features. "Father, it's not like the Sir Alex of Olen's Cliff, whom you claimed would be a perfect match, is it?"

Baird rolled his eyes. "No, son, it's not. Just come and see. At worst you spend a little bit of time with the knight."

"I suppose," Neal frowned a little, considering. Baird heaved a sigh of relief.

"Promise you won't be late?" Baird asked.

Neal rolled his eyes. "This must be a big shot, if you're so eager to impress him," he teased.

The Duke just shook his head, lips curling in a smile as he noticed Neal's use of "he" and not "she". Neal clearly had no idea who the prospect was. "You'll see," Baird told his son. "You'll see."

Three days later, Neal was curled up on his bed in the palace, trying to finish his latest book before he had to go meet this potential knight master that his father was so eager for him to be introduced to.

Something shook the bed, and Neal glanced up from his book to see Jump beside him and Kel leaned casually against the doorway.

"I'm off to the practice courts," she said. Neal could see her body itching for something to do. "You want to come?"

Neal lowered his book, resting it on his chest. He raised his eyebrows, giving Kel a look filled with equal parts disdain and humor. "I'm about to commence four years obeying the call of a bruiser on a horse," he was quick to point out. "I refuse to put down what might be the last book I see for months." His fingers tightened a little on the book.

"I thought you wanted to be a squire," she said, and locked her hands behind her back.

Neal sighed. "I want to fulfill Queenscove's duty to the crown," he reminded her. "A knight from our house-"

"Has served the Crown for ages, is a pillar of the kingdom, I know, I know," Kel finished before Neal could say his entire speech.

Neal huffed a little, but continued by saying, "Well, that's about being a _knight_. Squire is an intermediate step. It's a pain in the rump, but it's a passing pain. I don't have to like it," Neal informed Kel. Her mouth twitched a little, as if she was swallowing a smile. "I'd as soon read. Besides, Father said to wait. Another knight's supposed to show up today. I hate it when Father gets mysterious."

"Well, I'm going to hit something," Kel stated firmly. "I can't sit around."

Neal sat up, feeling a pang of sympathy for his friend. He couldn't imagine what it was like for Kel. "No one still?" He asked, kindness filling his voice and eyes.

Kel shook her head, a touch sadly. "I thought if I survived the big examinations, I'd be fine. I thought _somebody _would take me, even if I am The Girl."

Neal could guess where her highest hopes lay, and instead said gently, "There are still knights in the field. You may be picked later this summer, or even this fall."

Kel opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, shut it, and then smiled. The smile was a little strained; although Kel still used her Yamani mask, Neal had long since learned to read how she was feeling, and could tell, even with the mask, that the smile wasn't real. "I know," she replied, "and until then, I mean to practice. Last chance to collect bruises from me."

Neal shuddered, exaggerating the moment in hoped of drawing a laugh from his friend, but to no avail. "Thanks," he said. "I've gotten all the bruises off you this year that I want."

"Coward," she swiftly returned, and whistled for Jump, who sprang off the bed to follow her back out of the room.

Neal paused for a few moments, brooding sadly. He desperately hoped that someone one would choose her, and as unreasonable as both their hopes were, Neal hoped that Lady Alanna would come forward, asking for Kel to be her squire.

Putting the thoughts firmly out of his head, to keep them from dwelling inside his skull until they drove him insane, he resolutely set to work finishing his book.

The first bell of the afternoon rang just as Neal reached the last chapter. He smiled, pleased that he would have time to finish: He wasn't to meet this mysterious prospect with his father until the third bell of the morning.

Once finished his book, he straightened out his clothing, and ran a comb through his unruly locks. Shrugging at his appearance, he trotted down the hallways, dodging servants here and there.

He was nearly there when the third bell of the afternoon rang. As it finished, he knocked crisply on the door, curiosity rising in his body as he wondered why his father was being so mysterious about this knight. _He didn't give so much as a hint!_

The door was opened by a smiling Duke Baird who greeted his soon warmly. "I'm glad you're here." He ushered his son in.

Neal first noticed the King; King Jonathan had a presence that was unmistakable, and Neal bowed, wondering why in the world the King was here. _It couldn't be- no, the King can't possibly be my prospect. He has a squire._ His attention consumed by the king, he nearly missed the brilliant red head that was seated across the room.

He didn't even notice his father cross the room and sit down; it was impossible to draw his attention away from the woman who sat behind his father desk.

"Please, have a seat," Lady Alanna offered, violet eyes clear.

Neal's mind was overwhelmed with surprise, and he could only squeak one phrase.

"Lady Alanna is the prospect!?"

* * *

TBC


	2. Reins

[Updated 1/12/09] Just doing a quick sweep to catch those pesky little mistakes that you never seem to see the first time around…

I'd just like to start by saying the remainder of this will be from Neal's perspective, with the exception of the last chapter. Other than that, it will remain in sync with all of the events from Squire (though, as I said from Neal's POV). I hope that you enjoy this…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Reins: a leather strap, fastened to each end of the bit of a bridle, by which the rider or driver controls a horse or other animal by pulling so as to exert pressure on the bit, also the controlling or directing power**

My brain was racing with thoughts, yet I could only get my mouth to squeak that single, deadly phrase. "Lady Alanna is the prospect!?" I can only imagine the shock and horror that had painted itself on my face, because my Father, the King, even Lady Alanna looked away for a second.

"No," I told them, my voice flat. "Absolutely not. There is only one person who should be standing in this room, and _I am not her_." My cruel tone turned the words into a whip, but my care would have barely drowned a gnat.

"Please, hear us out," my father managed to say somehow, looking unreasonably calm.

"Calm? Calm?" My outraged tone had my father flinching back.

I smiled, thinly and tightly. "I thank you, Lady Alanna, for your time and your offer. However, I must inform you that there is no way I reasonably can accept your offer. I'm sure you understand." My bow was precise, swift, and frigid. I gave King Jonathan the same courtesy, and then turned away.

I may have made two steps before the King's commanding and even tone demanded that I stop. I turned slowly, making an effort to school my face into a mask of compliance that even Kel would be proud of.

From the thinning of my father's lips, I had failed miserably. "Your Majesty, I appreciate the offer. Truly, I do. I know that Lady Alanna has not made an offer to a squire before today. I cannot, however, in good conscience agree to this, this, _folly_."

This King's eyes sparked with annoyance, but his tone remained relaxed and even. "Please, listen to us for a moment."

"Actually, sire, I would greatly appreciate speaking to Neal alone." Violet eyes and a stubborn chin told the King to back off for a moment.

"Of course," he cordially agreed as if that had been his aim the entire time. I wasn't fooled, but Alanna is probably the only one besides the queen who could really get away with that.

King Jonathan gestured to Father, who stood, looking anxious and older than his fifty-odd years. "We will rejoin you whenever you wish, Alanna," the blue-eyed man said respectfully. He turned to me, those sapphire eyes serious, letting me know that he wanted this to work badly enough to personally interfere if necessary.

My father closed the door behind them, and the soft click nearly echoed in the still atmosphere that floated between Lady Alanna and I. "How much do you know of my past?" she finally asked.

I shrugged, positive that my face was still tight with anger. I could feel it burning under my breastbone, scalding me. "I know that you, King Jonathan, Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak and Lord Gareth the Younger, of Naxton grew up together. I know that by the time you had achieved your shield, your friends and Myles all knew you were female. You killed Roger of Conté, who sent the Sweating Sickness and tried to kill of his brother, sister in law, and nephew in hopes of achieving the crown," I gestured. "Those are just the basics. You helped shelter Numair Salmalin from the Carthaki Empire..." I made another gesture as I trailed off, indicating I knew more.

There was something strange lurking behind Lady Alanna's eyes, something detached yet sad. "You were right about almost all of it," she agreed, and I wondered about this pointless exercise. Yet before I could question her on it, she asked abruptly, "Do you know who Francis of Nond is?"

The name may have rang a distant bell, but nothing worth mentioning. "No," I said. My voice was still a little harsh. I couldn't see her point.

Lady Alanna stood, pacing in front of the window. "When Roger sent the Sweating Sickness, many people fell ill. The healers knew within days that if you caught the sickness badly enough in the beginning, you were almost guaranteed to die. Since I was born, I grew up hating my magic, refusing to use it, but Maude, the village healer told me words that I will never forget. 'Have you thought of the lives you'll take when you go off performing great deeds?' she asked me. I answered no. 'I didn't think so,' Maude told me curtly. 'You see only the glory. But there's lives taken and families without fathers and sorrow. Think before you fight. Think on who you're fighting if only because one day you must meet your match. And if you want to pay for those lives you do take, use your healing magic. Use it all you can, or you won't cleanse your soul of death for centuries. It's harder to heal than it is to kill. The Mother knows why, but you've a gift for both.'" She looked at me, and I couldn't help but stare back at her, mouth slightly agape.

The knight flashed a small smile that had both sadness and a cruel smirk mixed in. "Francis of Nond was my friend. He died from the Sweating Sickness because I refused to use my healing magic." She let that sink in, and I knew where she was going.

"We survived against the bandits," I informed her resolutely, crossing my arms across my chest. "I'm studying on my own. I don't need your help." My nose curled up with disdain, chin set mulishly.

Lady Alanna's eyes flashed, temper flaring. "Do you know how to heal broken bones so that they will not be prone to breaking again? I'm sure that you haven't covered how to burn away disease in the head without harming the brain. How about spinal injuries, one that leave people crippled for life? Will you stand there, knowing that you could have changed it, but because of you pride a friend might die?"

"Pride had nothing to do with it!" I returned, anger blazing once more. "Who are you to speak of unwarranted pride? Do you have any idea what Kel has gone through for four years? You at least had your shield, had time for the worst to cool off while you hid with the Bazhir!" My voice had not only rose, but I was shouting, red fury creeping into my face. "Kel faced- and faces- that everyday, and not only does she not say a thing to her superiors, who punish her too, but she says nothing to her friends either!" My fists were clenched as I looked away, body trembling as I struggled to lower my voice. "I understand you had struggles, truly I do. But I saw Kel face them everyday, while people tried to prevent her from learning anything to begin with. You at least earned you fighting skills before you had to worry about the hate." I loosed a long breath. "So thank you, really, for this honor, but I can't do it."

Instead of the shouting match that I had expected, Lady Alanna stared at me, eyes searching my face, eyes narrowed to violet slits. She seated herself again.

"I can't take Kel."

My eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sure you heard. The King told me I was to go nowhere near her if Kel everyone was to say that she earned her shield fairly. That mandate holds true even now. Especially now." I'm sure Alanna skimmed over the white-hot rage that had flashed through her body that day, nor did she delve into the heated tone she had spoken in as she took her leave of the King.

This time I looked away, abashed. "I understand. However, that doesn't make it right for me to accept, whether you can teach me to heal or not." I swallowed and struggled to push back the memory of huddling in that cave, trying to keep my closest friends from being picked off one by one. My throat closed off. It seemed that she and I were more alike than I could have imagined.

"Kel is being made an offer today." Lady Alanna's words were abrupt. She nodded at me knowingly. "It's a nearly perfect offer, and I'm sure she will take it."

She stopped there. "Who?" I asked impatiently.

The knight shook her head. "Let her find out first."

I exhaled. When she didn't add anything more, I sighed again. "So where does that leave us?"

"Like this," Lady Alanna said flatly. "Though I would love to take on Kel as my squire, I cannot. You need a knight master. I can teach you more about healing and knight's work than you will learn with anyone else."

I swallowed. She was good at persuasion. I cleared my throat, wondering what to do even as the indignation pulsed in my breast. "And what do you gain?"

Lady Alanna's smile was wistful, and all the more powerful for its elusive vulnerability. "I get to see Kel show everyone that women can and will be knights in the progress."

I couldn't help but look away, hating myself for considering it, and yet my common sense was fighting tooth and nail to make me listen; Kel had no chance to become Lady Alanna's squire, and what I could learn from the female knight could put an end to the horrific nightmares that woke me in the middle of the night, soaked from fear-sweat.

But did that make my decision right?

"I…agree." My tone was subdued. Lady Alanna was equally silent, making allowances for my grievance. "I have to go talk to Kel."

The sudden wrinkles around her mouth and eyes aged her an uncomfortable amount. "Would you prefer me to speak with her?" She asked quietly.

I shook my head, even as my fingers couldn't stop shaking, and gooseflesh crawled across my skin. I felt more like a man condemned than one who was going to spend the next four years learning to heal people even as I took lives.

I don't remember saying my farewell, barely remember the wooden bow to my knight master and the King. I needed a chance to think, to escape- but first, I needed to see Kel. If she heard the news from anyone but me, our friendship would be irrevocably damaged.

I checked the practice courts first, but I only saw a few of the King's Own jousting against one another.

I couldn't seem to get my hands to stop shaking as I walked down the familiar pathways to Kel's room. I could hear her vibrant voice speaking with someone- Lalasa, the sparrows, Jump, I neither knew nor cared.

I walked into the room, and knew immediately I looked as though I had lost my mind, if her surprised look was any estimate. "Neal, what's wrong?" Kel asked.

I wrung my hands together. I didn't deserve such kindness, and I tasted some bile. "Sit down," I told Kel. "Please." I didn't even care if I was openly begging.

She sat obediently.

I paced back and forth for a moment, trying to get the phrasing just right. Some dim part of my mind coolly noted Jump's snort of impatience, and the fluttering of the sparrows, their jet black eyes watching me curiously. Crown perched on my shoulder, trilling into my ear as if commanding me to say my piece. I faced Kel, not because I found courage, but because not looking at her was worse. "This wasn't my idea," I said. "Remember that knight I was to see today?" Kel nodded. "Well, the knight wants to take me," I continued, "and Father and the king say I should do it. They said that you are getting a very good offer, too. I want you to know I argued." I hated the pleading note that was filling my voice, but I couldn't stop it. "I said it should be you. They say that's a bad idea. That people might question if you were really good."

She stared at me, confusion and worry filling her face.

I took a deep breath. "Lady Alanna has asked me to be her squire. She's a healer, Kel. That's why Father wants me with her. Maybe that's even why the king stuck in his oar. You know I wish I'd had more training. Lady Alanna says she'll teach me. But I swear by Mithros I had no idea she was going to ask."

My heart thundered as she nodded dumbly. The shattered look on her face tore at me. "Kel, please…" I began, but what could I say? I looked around, escaping that wounded look. The packed clothing, displaced waving cat figurines- they nearly killed me. "You're packing. You're- why are you packing? You're not leaving?" Painful worry was crushing me.

"Lord Raoul asked me to be his squire."

The words didn't quite make sense for a moment, but when they did, cool relief swept through my veins, calming the fire of rage and fury into something closer to indignation. The sudden calm had me collapsing into a chair. "Raoul? I'll be switched," I said, awed." "Lady Alanna told me you were looked after, but this? Gods all bless. Goldenlake the Giant Killer." I whistled, an automatic gesture. "This is _very _good. I love it. Not even the conservatives will question your right to a shield if he's your master. He maybe a progressive, but he's still the most respected knight in Tortall. Even the ones who claim you're magicked to succeed will have to shut up."

"What do you mean?" Kel demanded. I could tell she was frustrated with my comments.

So I began my explanation: "You'll be in public view most of the time. Not everyone you meet will be your friend, so they won't lie for you, and some will have enough Gift of their own to tell if magic's being worked on you. No one will be able to claim you did anything but what was under everyone's nose after four years in the King's Own."

"If I cared for their opinion, I'd be relieved," Kel informed me, sounding a little less in shock. Then she continued in a guarded tone, "So you think this is good."

I nodded vigorously. "I'm envious," I admitted before I had thought about what I was saying. "Lord Raoul's got to be the most easygoing man alive. My new knight mistress is famed for wielding sharp edges- sword, knife, and tongue."

Kel scratched her ear as if she hadn't considered matters that far. "You'll just have to get on with her," she said.

I sort of rolled my eyes. "She and Father are friends, so she probably won't kill me," I informed her tartly, stressing the 'probably' a little. "Now," I went on, changing the subject, "why are you packing, if you have such a wonderful knight master?"

"I have to be ready to go with him at any time," she explained, finally taking a seat on her bed. "My room's next to his. I don't even know how often I'll be in the palace- he's on the road all year."

"We'll see each other during the Grand Progress," I was quick to point out. Then I saw the flaw in the logic. "Unless- maybe you won't...I know you wanted Lady Alanna."

Kel looked at me firmly. "Not see you, when you won't eat vegetables if I don't nag you?" she demanded. "I'll be Lady Alanna-" her throat tightened, and the familiar rage was back. "I'll bet she doesn't care what she eats, let alone what her squire does. I should send Crown along to peck you as a reminder."

I could tell she wasn't fooled by my shaky grin, but at her gently smiling face, it grew stronger. "As if these feather dusters would be separated from you," I retorted.

"I hope they can," Kel told me. "I doubt even Lord Raoul would welcome fifty-odd sparrows."

I relaxed, slinging my legs over the arm of the chair. "I bet he and Lady Alanna planned this. They're friends, and she did say you were looked after. And she had to know what people would say if she took you." I mentally excused the lie, knowing full well that the king had pretty much erased that possibility before it was more than an inkling in Lady Alanna's mind. I didn't need to throw fuel on the fire.

I wasn't prepared for the knife that her next words were. "That maybe I was right to look up to her all these years? That if anyone can teach me how to be a lady knight, it's her?" Kel asked of me bitterly. She looked away when she saw the hurt on my face.

"You _are _angry."

Kel sighed and straightened, working a cramp out of her back. "Not with you." Kel's look was even as she faced me. "To tell you the truth, I don't know how I feel. First I was just about as low as I could be- Neal, I had a vision."

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "My dear Kel, I'd say Jump, your sparrows, even Peachblossom are likelier to have visions than you. I have never known anyone who had both feet nailed to the ground."

She had to smile at that. "It didn't come from me," she informed me. "I was in the Chapel of Ordeal-"

"Finally!" I interrupted. "You took your own sweet time in going-"

I, of course, had visited at the first available opportunity. The nightmares hadn't gone away for a week.

Kel interrupted me. "Do you want to hear about my vision or not?" She described what had happened when she touched the Chamber's iron door. "And then I went to the tilting yard and Lord Raoul found me," she finished. "But Neal, it felt just as real as anything."

I felt uncomfortable just hearing it, let alone knowing Kel had experienced it first hand. Still, I smiled crookedly. "Then here's a word of advice- don't touch the door again. That Chamber is a law to itself. No one knows how it works. It's killed squires, Kel. Killed them, driven them mad-"

"And left plenty to become knights," Kel pointed out before I got to carried away. "Like it will us."

And that was the end of that. Topics between us lightened and we spoke mostly of innocent things until Lalasa caught us trying to fit in Kel's weapons cleaning kit on top of everything else we'd managed to shove in her trunk. The maid banished us from the room, saying she and the other servants would take care of it all.

With that out of the way, there was nothing to be done except eat dinner and share the news with our fellow squires. At dinner we were joined by Seaver, Merric, Prosper, Esmond, and a few others. Owen and the other pages were off with Lord Wyldon, while Cleon and the other, elder, pages were not at the castle.

I waited for Kel's cue; she would be the one to lead us into the well wishes that I hoped we would receive from our friends. Once most of the dishes had been cleared away, and we were walking sedately towards our rooms, Kel cleared her throat casually.

Even the casual sound caught the pages attention. "I have some very important news to share," Kel said with a perfectly straight face.

The squires jockeyed around her, eager for the news. "Did a knight speak to you about becoming his squire?" Merric demanded, while Seaver and Prosper pestered her about there being a man in her life. I hid a smile, only to be cruelly ratted out when Kel said, "I was offered a position by Lord Raoul of the King's Own." Half a heart-beat later she looked at me, an un-Kel-like devious grin crossing her face. "And Neal is now squire to Lady Alanna."

I'm not sure whose impending knight master (in my case, mistress) surprised my friends more. Perhaps Prosper summed it up best as he gasped, "What!"

Kel's answering smile, though, was genuine, and within seconds we were both lavishing in fervent congratulations by everyone. Laughing, we all headed towards my rooms, where we lounged about, gossiping like women about anything and everything, while Kel and I fended of questions on just how our prospects had come about.

I could tell that my friends were downright uneasy about me being Lady Alanna's squire. They, like me, believed it was a position rightly earned by Kel. However, as the evening wore and Kel remained cheerful, though admitting to a downplayed disappointment, the suspicious glances turned back into the usual rolled eyes at the antics of the group.

By the second bell of the evening, we scattered, each needing to begin the slow process of packing in order to follow our knight master's footsteps.

Finally I was left in my room alone, heat still filling my room and making it unbearable. Taking another book from the stack in my room, I made my way out of the squire's wing and into the main courtyard, carrying a candle with me. However, there were too many faces. I wanted some quiet to mull over the whirlwind of events that had all happened in one day.

Escaping once more, my book and I headed back towards the squire's wing towards a more private courtyard. I hoped that no one would be there, and after two more tries, I successfully found a courtyard without another living soul inhabiting it.

Instead of even cracking open the book, however, I found myself staring at my hand. I summoned my magic, and a green ball of fire sat in the palm of my hand.

I clenched my hand, squelching it, only to summon it again. My thoughts were a million leagues away as I stared at it, though. I couldn't help agonizing over whether I really should stay on as Lady Alanna's squire. More than once I almost got up, ready to refuse the offer once more.

Cowardice, perhaps, kept me in place. I wanted to know how to heal desperately, more than anyone, even my Father, knew. I ran light fingers over the cover of my book: 'The Magic of Bruises, Broken Bones and Blood'.

I raised my knees and closed my eyes instead, relaxing under the full branches of the ash tree that remained the sole piece of greenery in the courtyard. The breeze that swirled around in the courtyard brought with it coolness, drawn from the small fountain in the far corner.

"I'm glad I finally found you," Father said from the entranceway. He didn't ask for my permission to join me, and I shifted away from him.

I didn't see the hurt look cross his face, but I was as sure that it was there.

"Yes?" I bit out roughly. I wasn't quite ready to forgive my father, who could have killed my friendship with Kel.

Fingers brushed back my hair, but before I could shrug off the touch he was squeezing me in the same sort of bone-breaking hug that he had given me when he found out that I was now the eldest son.

I awkwardly hugged him back. He pulled away, and his green eyes were bright. "I'm sorry. I honestly didn't think that Kel was hoping to become Lady Alanna's squire. I just figured it would be an advantage for you. Someone I trusted could teach you to be a healer without it detracting from becoming a knight."

I was never able to stay mad at my father, and a crooked smile crossed my face.

"If it counts for anything, I heard that Kel is now squire to Lord Raoul. I believe it will be to her advantage." He leaned back against the tree, enjoying the fresh breeze as well. "And if you're really that against it, it's okay." Father reassured me. "You don't have to be her squire."

I shook my head. "I'll do it," I said quietly. _But there's no way in hell I'm letting it effect my friendship with Kel! _I added silently, firmly. Nothing would alter that.

"Well, if you're sure, I won't ask you again." His green eyes searched mine, and he seemed to find whatever it was he was looking for. "Lady Alanna wants to see you, in a little." Father said after resting comfortably against the tree with me for a few minutes more.

"Alright," I agreed as he stood up to leave.

He turned back to me at the doorway, shading his eyes from the dimming sunlight before saying quietly, "I'm proud of you, Neal."

He was gone before my flush had died down.

* * *

Everyone knew of my knight mistress's temper. It was as common a fact as the King's marriage to Queen Thayet.

So after supper, there I was, making my way towards Lady Alanna's rooms with all the effort of a condemned prisoner. I knocked carefully on the door, and was rewarded with for my knock with a violet glare being leveled at my head. "I told you, I don't need any- oh. Hello, Neal."

"My father told me you asked to see me?" I ventured.

An eyebrow raised. "Yes." The door was opened further and I stepped inside the lion's den. Or perhaps it would be more correct to say the Lioness's den.

At my entrance, she motioned for me to take a seat, and grabbed a pad of paper. Lady Alanna also grabbed a piece of charcoal that sat nearby, and seated herself opposite me, curling her legs underneath her and eyeing me with an uncomfortable amount of penetration.

"How far had you gotten in trained healing before you became a page?" Lady Alanna asked quickly, not giving me any more of a chance to contemplate her gaze.

"Um, recognizing various breaks, contusions, pulled muscles, illnesses, and the like as well as how long it would take to heal the injury or illness on its own. I know how to insulate the body from shock while another healer takes care of a broken bone. I can actually heal most of the lesser illnesses and bruises."

Lady Alanna tapped the charcoal against her hand for a moment and scribbled something down. I think that it was probably notes on what I could and could not do as a healer, for we spent the better part of almost two hours, with my knight mistress eking out every detail on my training that she could, including what I had taught myself and been taught by my father.

Her next task was to focus on my mental learnings- math skills, ability to recognize and communicate with immortals, and so on. She even delved into what I had learned of magic beyond healing skills. She must have found them woefully thin, if her narrowed eyes were any indication.

Finally she reached the physical part. She asked me about different sword techniques, staff techniques, my studies with the Shang Horse. No water was left untested; no question was permitted to be unanswered.

I left her rooms feeling as if I had just taken my final exam as a page. Again. The horrible thing was that I felt like I failed more than I passed. The thought kept me up far longer than I would have liked, unable to do more than stare at moonlight that peered through the slats in my window.

My restless sleep led to a rising at dawn, stifling yawns far too often. I pulled on a pair of breeches, shirt, and boots, and rubbing my eyes even more tiredly than usual I made my way down to where the King's Own were housed.

I had expected at least some activity in the halls, but was greeted only by the tranquil early morning silence. I touched a passing servant on the arm, and she looked at me curiously. "Yes, squire?"

"Can you direct me to Squire Kel's room?" I questioned.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but they were called away in the middle of the night."

She gave a swift curtsey and was on her way before I was even able to comprehend what had happened.

I was left in the corridor that was not filled with the silence of morning, but the silence of absence. I ignored my rumbling stomach. I made my way back to Kel's rooms, and knocked on the door, hoping that I could find Lalasa in Kel's old rooms. I had automatically assumed that Kel would be in her new rooms, but I hoped I could still find her maid in the squire's wing.

I caught Lalasa just as she was leaving Kel's rooms. She looked surprised to see me. "Did you hear that Kel left?" I demanded, staring at her intently.

Lalasa solemnly nodded her head. "Corporal Quasim came to get her in the middle of the night last night, practically banging the door down. A village, Haresview, I think, was attacked by robbers." She shook her head, trembling with indignation. "They had reports of twenty-three dead. Probably more."

My face softened, and I tried to put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She gave me a teary glance, and said with a quivering lip, "I will miss her."

I nodded a little, gave a hurried goodbye and good luck, and fled. I knew little about dealing with tears, and even less about how to deal with the suddenness of Kel's departure.

I ate a late breakfast, and without having receive any further instruction from my knight-mistress, I went back to my room. I quickly discovered I was too restless for books, and with an unusual amount of fervor, I escaped to the training courts, where I came upon one of the most vibrant sights I'd ever seen.

Though the blades were dull and padding covered their bodies, the intensity of the fight was breathtaking. The smaller opponent wove around the taller with an easy grace and clever movements, while the taller attempted to box his opponent's movements, closing him in so he'd be able to bear down with his great strength. I couldn't see either face, but was transfixed by the duel.

The two opponents finally reached a point where I could see their faces. I had guessed the identities by the fact that Queen Thayet, Sir Gareth the Younger, Sir Myles and Lady Cythera were among the people who stood in a crescent moon around the couple, but it was another thing entirely to have it confirmed.

It was indeed the King and his Champion, dueling more like sworn enemies than friends of many years. _Ahhh, _A part of my mind breathed, _now this is what greatness looks like_.

And greatness it was, with whirling blades and moves so elegant they were almost more suited to a dance floor. For the first time I realized that I would learn a lot more from Lady Alanna than just healing magic. I could learn to wield my blade with enough skill to protect my friends.

The duel came to a climax, and a move I'd never even seen before was used to disarm King Jonathan. It was part a flick of the wrist, part extreme strength to tear it from her liege's grasp. I joined the edge of the gathering just as the sword clattered to the ground, earning the Lioness a well deserved cheer from the crowd.

Well-wishers gathered around her, offering cloths to wipe the sweat away from her face, or water to quench her thirst. There were far more admiring eyes in the crowd that clustered so tightly around her than there were disapproving eyes.

And somehow, in all the confusion, her eyes were able to seek out mine, and she gave a quirky gesture that somehow conveyed to me a silent, "Well?"

I didn't have an answer at first. Envy, surprise, enjoyment…it solidified into something intangible that still had me looking forward to the next for years, and I couldn't help but grin in response. Her mirroring grin was surprisingly gratifying.

That's how, for the first time since this whirlwind had taken over my life, I found myself excited for the path that lay ahead of me, and sent an eager prayer up to Mithros that Kel was enjoying the same fortune.

* * *

TBC


	3. Journey

[Update 1/12/09] Again, still just covering any grammatical errors and whatnot.

Sorry about the slow update this time around. I have my finals in my classes for this semester, and that has definitely slowed down my production rate. Hopefully, however, I will be able to get another chapter (at least) done once I finish my finals next week! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next segment of…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Journey: passage or progress from one stage to another or a traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time**

I was surprised when I was able to spend the rest of the day lazing about, but knowledge that I would be leaving soon hung over me, and kept me from enjoying what little time I had left. All of my friends among the squires had left with their knight masters already, adding even more boredom to the day.

By evening, however, I had finally given in, and began making a true effort to pack. Clothing was stacked in a pile that grew surprisingly large; books were next. My elder brother's sword and dagger, the only piece of weaponry that I had that did not belong to the castle. I whistled, finding it almost amusing that my life was summed up in three piles that didn't even stand as high as my waist.

"It seems you've read my mind." The violet eyes were uncanny, and took a step back, startled.

"Lady Alanna-"

"Let us dispose of that right now. I am not a lady, not in the traditional sense. I've spent far too much time in breeches to deal with the title 'lady' from someone I'll be spending the next four years of my life with. Please just call me Alanna, or if you feel that you _must _employ a title, Sir Alanna is fine." Alanna informed me firmly. "I've come to bring you a traveling pack- it's got a bed roll, a flint, and so on. Stow it with your packs. Now come with me, I'd like you to show me your horse, and on the way tell me what you've got in terms of weaponry. I need to know what I need to outfit you with when we get to Pirate's Swoop."

"We're going to Pirate's Swoop?" I was astonished to find my normal stride matched that of Alanna's, who was walking briskly. My long legs usually forced others to struggle and keep pace with me; here it was the other way around.

"Yes. I've still got the better part of a month of leave left, and I intend to use it. While we're there, we'll get you some armor, a shield…" she eyed me critically. "We'll take a look at some swords and then some bows, both long and cross. That'll also give me a chance to learn first hand where your skills are. While we're at Pirates Swoop, you're going to be put through your paces." Her impish smile had my heart plummeting like a stone.

"I have a sword and a dagger," I quickly said deigning not to comment on her eagerness to see what I could do, and the answering purse of her lips did not bode well.

"I'll review them when we get back to your room. Oh, just so you know we'll be leaving no later than a bell past dawn, because we've got a good three days of travel ahead of us." Her smirk at my sigh didn't manage to bolster my spirits any more than her declaration to 'put my through my paces' had.

By that time, however, we had reached the stables, and I was surprised to find that Alanna walked right up to Stefan and enveloped the man in a hug. "Are you keeping out of trouble?" she asked, eyes glittering with laughter.

Stefan put a hand behind his head, laughing a tad nervously. "Well, you know, George likes to keep me busy." My ears perked, and I wondered if the George that Stefan spoke of was the same on who was married to Alanna. My knight mistress's eyes flicked to me, and turned back to Stefan.

"That's good," she agreed neutrally. "I would hate to have you relaxing on hay bales all day."

"No, Lioness, not me," Stefan said, voice respectful.

Alanna smiled. "Can you take me to Neal's horse?" she asked.

"Neal yer squire?" Stefan asked, eyes widening. At Alanna's short nod he shut his mouth and obediently led us over to my horse. I itched to say aloud that I was perfectly capable of taking her to my own horse, but I managed to bite my tongue.

Instead, I waited for Alanna to come to the same conclusion that I had had for the last two months. Zephyr was still in excellent condition, but he was aging, tiring over distances that he used to make effortlessly. He still had enough energy for at least another page, but he simply wasn't up to the standards that I would need as a squire.

Her clucked tongue was answer enough, and she turned, finding the same knowledge in my eyes. "You already know what I'm going to say," she began. "We need to get you another horse." She put her hands on her hips, staring thoughtfully into the air. Her gaze cleared. "Actually, I think I have a horse that would suit you down at Pirate's Swoop. You'll have to take Zephyr down with you, but next time someone comes to Corus I'll have them take Zephyr back. Would that work?"

I hadn't expected this generosity. Most knights left their horse and horse's armor to the squire and squire's family, feeling they did enough as it was with regular armor. "Yes, of course," I finally answered.

Alanna nodded, smile spreading on her face. "Good then. Now, I expect you to meet me at the main stables tomorrow morning at dawn. Bring Zephyr, loading with your packs, and we'll head out as soon as we are able."

My knight mistress barely waited for my nod of agreement before she was bustling out of the stables, clearly on errands of her own.

"I hope you two do good." I jumped, having forgotten that Stefan was still in the stable.

"Excuse me?"

"Hope you do good." Stefan nodded in the direction that my new knight mistress had headed off in. "She's a good lass."

"Lass?" I asked, amused.

Stefan sniffed. "I've known her fer ages. Since she was but a page."

The news was fascinating. "Really?" I probed, staring hard at Stefan. He matched me look for look, until finally I rocked back on my heels and whistled in appreciation of his obvious loyalty to my knight mistress.

I waited for the hostler to say more, but Stefan was already wandering back to his charges, and I was left with some more information to digest.

I ambled back to my rooms, cool stone of the palace walls feeling pleasant compared to the heat of the stables. I wasn't ready to finish packing quite yet. I rolled what I knew of the Lioness in my head, matching it with my first hand impressions. I had already discovered it wouldn't be four years of hell on earth, but I had no idea of what else to expect from it. The page years were easy enough to describe; long hours, grueling work, chores that normal boys could never complete in the assigned time, even hazing.

But every squire I had spoken with had a different experience. Some knights simply traveled where the King told them, using a squire as little more than a servant who could use a sword. Then there were others, who tried to teach their squires a broader range of information than they had been exposed to.

Then there were still others. Sir Raoul was one, Gareth the Younger, even- Mithros bless- the Stump. They were the great knights; the ones who had seen and done more than a mortal had any right to experience.

I normally would have dwelled on my impression ad nauseum until experience had told me what to expect. However, I suppose spending four years with Kel had done more than teach me a few fighting tricks. Instead of immediately dwelling on my knight-master, I struggled to not to stress over what I couldn't control.

I didn't manage it.

On the other hand, I didn't kill myself with worry either. I packed, eventually changed into my nightclothes as day turned to dusk and spent a good portion of the night alternating between staring at the ceiling or tightly closing my eyes.

Sometime after the midnight bell tolled I must have fallen asleep, because I awoke to the five ringing clangs that signaled the hour before dawn. Rolling out of bed, I stumbled over my packs. I heard the door open, and my bleary eyes watched as a servant expertly poured my some warm water with which to rinse my face. I managed to croak my thanks, and made my way over to the basin. I splashed my face, and finding myself able to fully open my eyes (even though I was thus far unable to form complete sentences), I dug through my pack, exchanging my nightclothes for a fresh shirt, pair of breeches, and boots. I hurriedly drew them on, stretching after I was done. I ran a comb through my hair. Rubbing my face tiredly, I buckled my sword, dagger and belt purse, settling them on my waist within easy reach.

Now that I was decent and ready for riding, I hauled the pack that had my clothes and my three favorite books onto my shoulder. The rest, packed neatly into another bag, would be given to my father for safekeeping.

And then I was saying goodbye to my room. I would be leaving the palace that had been my home for the last four years. I shut the door almost reverently, practically hearing Kel tell me to stop being dramatic and get a move on. I smiled at her unspoken words, and turned.

My father was just getting up when I arrived, and from his face, I knew Alanna had told him the night before that we would be leaving. His face gentled into a smile, and he swept me into a hug. I flushed, but hugged him back.

"I'll miss you, Nealie," My father said, using his nickname for me as a child. It only made me hug him tighter.

"I'll miss you too," I admitted and was rewarded by practically suffocating as my father tightened his hold.

He finally drew back, eyes damp. "You'll write," he said, voice cracking. "Because if you don't, you won't have to worry about me hunting you down. It'll be your mother that you should look out for."

And if either of our laughs were a little choked, it didn't matter. My father walked me down to the main stables where Alanna was waiting. He kissed her on both cheeks, smiling fondly at my knight mistress. "Take care of each other," he informed us, smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.

Our exasperated sighs held the same tones of annoyance, amusement, and wistfulness, causing my father to start laughing. He tousled my hair, and gave a final bow to Alanna. Stefan, who had brought out Zephyr, silently held out the reins to me, and I fastened both my pack and the one that Alanna had given to me to the saddle. Alanna mounted. I followed without looking back.

Alanna took the lead, taking her horse, which I dimly remember being called Darkmoon, through the main gates of the palace. Zephyr followed, patiently weaving through the streets that were already bustling with people.

I couldn't imagine a time when the city had a tense atmosphere, yet I had read time and time again of the first years of King Jonathan's reign, when Roger of Conté had returned from the dead by Alanna's own brother. I couldn't imagine being worried about assassination attempts, or any of the other signs of instability that had once filled the city- it was so calm now. I exhaled, steadily following Alanna's lead.

Before long we were out of the city and following the coast south-west down to Pirate's Swoop. At first she, like I, was silent. Most of the morning passed that way, for the two of us had yet to truly wake up. We stopped for lunch just as the horses sides began to heave a little. We led them off the main road, Alanna taking us to a stream that she must come to every time she comes this way. While Darkmoon and Zephyr drank from the stream and nibbled on grass, Alanna handed me some dried beef, bread, and two apples from her pack. We munched contentedly as we sat on the grass near the stream.

After that Alanna seemed to be completely awake. "Alright, ready?" she asked, her first words of the trip.

"Yes," I said as I stood. We dropped our apple cores on the ground. Alanna attached her pack to Darkmoon's saddle once more, and for the first time I took stock of what she was wearing.

Gold-washed chain mail was covered by a dark grey tunic. Belted on top was her sword, dagger and belt purse. Sturdy leggings of a lighter grey than the tunic were covered at the bottom by worn black boots. Her red hair had been pull back, revealing a surprising feature- pierced earlobes, which had grey pearl drops hanging from them. Alanna noticed me staring at her, and snapped, "What?" in an irate tone, but the harsh word was offset but the hint of a blush that was invading her cheeks.

I smiled. "Nothing," I said innocently.

Alanna growled incoherently and mounted again. I did the same, and she led us back to the main road.

The silence that sat between us wasn't uncomfortable, but it was heavy in the air. I cleared my throat. "So, what's Pirate's Swoop like?" I asked, more to break the silence than out of curiosity.

Alanna glanced at me for a moment. The glance turned to intense scrutiny, but she seemed to find what she was looking for. Alanna smiled, and the pressure of the air flowed away. "There are a lot of crags," she admitted as her gaze returned to the road.

I nudged Zephyr up. "Well, crags can't be all there is there," I teased. She looked surprised at my audacity for a second, and then truly relaxed.

"We're right up against the ocean, so even in the summer it's cooler than you'd expect. Our home always seems to smell of salt water," Alanna laughed, and the light sound seemed so different from the preconceived, fiery-tempered vision that Alanna was in stories. "It's right on the Endless Sea, and the village is nestled right against the barony." I nodded, interested in seeing her face so alight with joy.

"I heard that Daine visited Pirate's Swoop the first year she was here," I said.

I was unprepared for Alanna's bright, pealing laugh. Her smile widened even further. "Do you know how I first met her?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"It actually begins with Onua," she corrected herself. "Numair had been at a fief, spying on the lord, who we had suspected of dealing with Carthak…"

* * *

The afternoon flew by. She regaled me with story after story. I enjoyed hearing them as much as she enjoyed telling them. I was curled in my bed roll, watching the flames snap and curl as they slowly died out. Alanna's breathing had long since evened out, but I was still unable to sleep.

We were safely warded, an exercise that I had taken part in, (mostly following Alanna's footsteps this time around), having been tartly informed it would be my job the next two nights ("So if we get killed, I'm blaming you").

I watched as she breathed quietly, across the embers. She was curled up under her bed roll and close to the fire even though the night air only held a hint of autumn chill.

Once again, my night was late, as anxiety drove me to mull over every detail these last couple days. It was only the vague brightening in the east that drove me to catch two meager hours of sleep.

The morning passed mostly the same as the day before. A silent breakfast was eaten around the smoldering ashes of our fire. We packed, covered our latrine, brushed away signs of our passing until eventually the campsite might not have been disturbed at all.

The worst part was changing, I have to admit. It's one thing to know that Kel is a girl and changing- with all her…girl parts-in her room. It's another thing entirely to know that if you turn around while the Lioness is changing, your head might lose its attachment to your neck. Even worse was seeing the back of Alanna's head while I tried to change into fresh clothing as fast as humanely possible.

It was an awkward business, made worse by the inability to look at each other in the eye for the rest of the morning. Instead, we mounted (silently) and continued down the coast (silently). Eventually we stopped for lunch (also under crushing silence) with the added bonus of flinching every time I had to touch her hand in order to take the proffered food.

No, a morning filled with awkward silence successfully cancelled out the camaraderie that had begun to develop as yesterday afternoon progressed.

The first hour after lunch continued in the same vein, until finally Alanna cleared her throat awkwardly. "Okay, this needs to end," she announced forcefully, stopping Darkmoon. "I know this entire situation is awkward and not the utmost joy, but I think I'm going to kill you if we spend the next four years like this."

My mouth twitched into a grin, and shook her head. "No, seriously. If I deal with this everyday for the next four years, I'll have my husband help me bury your body."

I laughed this time, outright. Permanent headway I could deal with. For better or for worse we were knight and squire now. I stuck out my hand, copying her impish grin from two nights before, and said, "Truce?" in my driest voice.

Alanna steadfastly shook my hand. No blushing, no glancing at one another and looking away. Just camaraderie and easiness, which finally floated between us.

I took it upon myself to start our conversation once more. "So how did you become friends with my father, if you are a healer?"

Alanna's nose wrinkled for a moment, ire clear on her face. "Actually, I'd prefer not to discuss when I first met Baird. It was during the war with Tuisaine, while Roger still had his greedy little finger's in everything."

"Alright," I accepted, deciding not to push.

Alanna chuckled, sensing my affronted tone, and quickly began her story a different story. "Well, when Baird took up the position as healer, it's true I couldn't have really cared either way. He was good at his work, but I simply rarely never interacted with him after that war because I was busy as a squire, and then knight. However, I do have a good story. Now, when the Yamani's first agreed to sign a treaty with use, thanks to Ilane of Mindelan, they refused to set foot on Tortallan soil, while also refusing to allow our ambassador's into the inner sanctum. The only neutral meeting ground was out at sea, and despite all my protests that it wasn't necessary for me to be there while they even started ironing out a treaty, Jon made it very clear that I had to go."

I couldn't help interrupting her, saying, "But don't you get-"

"Seasick?" she cut in. Her wry smile had no joy in it. "Yes. Horribly, disgustingly seasick. To a degree that makes me never want to step foot on a boat ever again."

I raised an eyebrow at the intensity of her words. Alanna continued, sharp tongued, as she complained, "And some bumble-headed idiot with a rock where his common sense should be, somehow managed to 'forget' all of the seasickness medication that we were supposed to bring so that I wouldn't be retching over the sides of the boat from the second I stepped on to the second I stepped off." I cringed a little at the description.

"Of course, since I had taken some medicine before I had walked on the boat, I didn't know it was missing until we were almost a day out- whenever I'm on a boat, I keep at least three doses with me at all times. It was too late to turn back." Alanna shook her head, automatically tucking back errant locks of hair. "So I spent the entire trip magicking myself up to my ears to get rid of my seasickness. Consequently, I also spent most of my trip exhausted and cranky." Her smile was still wry, and she glanced in my direction. "I don't think I came out of my room the entire trip. Feeling the waves rock the boat were bad enough, but watching?" Alanna shuddered. "That's even worse."

She shrugged her shoulders. "So we were finally on our way back, the most primary of negotiations done, I was still surviving on little sleep and a small tendency to bite off the heads of people around me. We were maybe two hours from the port in Corus when we were hit by a Scanran ship. Some jumped up clan had gotten it into their heads that they could attack our ship, get away with whatever our profit was, and escape. We beat them, of course, but not without exhausting the healer on board, getting a man killed, and me getting cut from my hip to my knee because I had drained so much magic the last few weeks that I could barely fight." Alanna shook her head.

"Anyways, the story ends with me unconscious, ignorant of the fact that we came into port and were rushed to the palace, and being healed by none other then Baird himself. I ended up sleeping for a day an a half, and when I finally woke up, it was to Baird and a plate of steaming hot food and water."

Alanna shrugged. "The end of the story isn't that interesting. I polished off the food and water in record time, and then talked with Baird for a little before I fell back asleep. It wasn't until later that I heard he had ridden down to the port to meet us, and made sure I was stabilized before anything else was done." Her violet eyes were clear as she faced me again. "Your father's a good man."

I sat a little straighter in the saddle, filled with pride at my knight mistress's words.

During my silence, Alanna took the opportunity to crack her back, twisting rapidly from one side to the other. "So." Alanna said.

"Yes?" I returned, wondering what Alanna wanted.

Her smile was a wicked one, one that I was sure I was going to become very familiar with. "So, Neal. I've shared two stories with you. Do you know what that means?"

I blinked. "No. No, I don't."

Her smirk had me leaning back, wary of her request. "I get to request two stories from you."

It still wasn't sounding too bad, so I agreed. "What two stories?"

The pondering look on her face was about as reassuring as a hungry wolf's grin. "I want to know how you came up with the name Stump."

I froze in shock after half a second spent in confusion. I had to force the words past a suddenly thick throat, "You know about that?"

Alanna just raised an eyebrow, and my mortification rose. I knew that if Lord Wyldon ever knew that I called him that I would be out on my ear faster than you could say 'Mithros'. "It's not a very long story," I began, almost hoping that she would discard her curiosity if I gave that as an excuse. Of course, she only waved a hand motioning for me to keep going.

"It started the last week I was at University. My friends were holding a party, and we may have had some drinks faintly alcoholic in nature to use in our celebration. Ulric, my best friend there, had spent a month as a page before escaping to University. And while we were, uh, _might _have been consuming inordinate amounts of said faintly alcoholic substances, Ulric may have complained about Wyldon having as much emotion as a block of wood. Between that, and meeting him in person, the nickname Stump, just…works."

There was a beat of silence before Alanna said in her most serious voice, "And just as you _might _have been drinking something that may or may not have been alcoholic, I _might _agree with a certain nickname that may or may not exist."

Her smirk was echoed on my face, and I couldn't help but break the faux-solemn air with a snort of laughter.

And so the second day disappeared with even more speed than the first. Setting up camp turned into something a little more routine, with Alanna and me trying to do the same chores less often. We built up a fire and once it was burning brightly, we cared for Zephyr and Darkmoon, and once everything was set, ate a light dinner filled with wry comments and stories. The last event of the evening was creating the ward, carefully mimicking Alanna's words and movements from yesterday until we were successfully shielded from sight and sound.

We rolled into our beds late; the moon and stars were high in the sky, but I barely noticed them, for I fell asleep almost instantly.

We awoke as the sun rose, and this time the chores were divided easily and without much thought. I covered the latrine and removed the remains of our fire, while Alanna packed our things and saddled up the horses.

Changing was still awkward but we managed.

We were both still bleary eyed, so the morning was once again spent in silence as we rode back to the main road, finishing the last leg of our journey.

It wasn't until mid morning that I finally felt truly awake, and after one last yawn, I asked, "When do you think that we'll get to Pirates Swoop?"

Alanna seemed to do a mental calculation. "Sometime late afternoon, I believe." I nodded my understanding. "You'll meet George, Thom my oldest and my twins, Alan and Alianne. Maude will be there too." Alanna volunteered, and I saw that same shine that all mothers had when they spoke of their children.

"How old are they now?" I asked.

"Thom will be fourteen soon, while Alan and Aly are eleven. They've all agreed to come home while I have leave."

"That's wonderful," I said in my most appreciative tone.

Alanna smiled widely at the thought of her children, but something made it dim. "Are you alright?" I asked, trying not to sound nosy while also getting an answer to my curiosity.

"Yes, I'm fine," she reassured me, eyes clearing. "I'm just very ready to be home."

"Does Pirate's Swoop really feel like more a home than Trebond?" I asked. I suppose the question might have been rude, but rudeness or not I wanted to know.

Alanna shrugged. "Until I became a page, my childhood wasn't exactly my dream. I wanted a world where I could fight with swords, or fire arrows into the hearts of enemies. I wanted to be the greatest hero there had ever been. But the cold reality at the time was that there was no place for a female to learn to fight. So except for Maude, Coram and Thom, I didn't have many friends. I was supposed to be learning how to be a 'lady'." I could practically see the quotation marks surrounding the word.

"My father wasn't much of a father, either. When he died, I felt sadness, but…" Alanna shook her head. "To be honest, he paled in comparison to Myles or Sir Gareth. So I suppose the best way to say it is this. Trebond will always be my place of birth, and I wouldn't ever want to change that. But Pirate's Swoop and Olau have become my home in ways that I never had the chance to have at Trebond."

I absorbed Alanna's response, filing it away for closer study. "I can understand your feelings," I agreed. "Sometimes the family you choose is far better than the family you're given."

Alanna's smile was brief.

Even more depressing than her words was when the weather began to echo the somber mood, chasing away the sunlight as heavy cloud loitered on the horizon. We picked up our speed, stopping our idle conversation about Tkaa and his rock-creating ability in order to concentrate on successfully leading our horses through a trail that was initially slipper, but turned to mud in an alarmingly short amount of time.

Huddled miserably in our cloaks that didn't stop us from getting damp despite our best efforts and watching as our packs slowly soaked through, we didn't make it to Pirate's Swoop until long past the time that our stomach's began to grumble.

We had to practically drag ourselves off of the horses, handling them to efficient hostlers who led Zephyr and Darkmoon to the stables and took care of them. The gate closed behind us, and we took our packs, shouldering them with wet and despondent grunts as we tried to shield ourselves from the elements as we made our way across the open courtyard into the open hall that led into the rest of Alanna's home.

A man I could only assume was George was already there waiting for us. I assumed it was George because I highly doubted that Alanna would allow any other man to kiss her like that. I decided to study the ceiling.

It was like some invisible sign had been highlighted, alerting everybody and anybody that we were there. Within two minutes of entering the keep, it seemed as everyone converged on us.

The children where the first to dart in, careening down the main steps at a pace that I was sure would lead to- at the very least- bruises and broken bones. Ignoring my prophecy of doom, Thom, Alan and Alianne safely hurtled down and slammed into their mother, who gave George another swift kiss before being enveloped by her children's form's and eager voices.

I felt a bit of the outcast, for quickly after Thom, Alan, and Alianne came to greet Alanna, Maude, and many others came into the hall to greet their mistress.

"So you're Neal." It was a statement, a question, a judgment and a teasing comment all in one.

I turned, startled to see George standing next to me. I hadn't even seen him leave Alanna. "Yes sir."

His hazel eyes twinkled, and I grinned, a little nervously. I waited for George to speak, but he seemed content to watch his wife greet everyone.

Soon one of the servants had Alanna out of the rain-proof cloak, which reminding me that I was still dripping all over the stone floor. I unclasped it, gathering it in my arms, only to have that same servant rush busily over to me, snatch the cloak from my hands an bustle off- I assumed to take care of it all.

By this time, most of the hubbub had died down, and only Alanna, the children, George and a servant remained.

Thom, Alan and Alianne clustered around their mother, clearly eager to speak with her, and I wondered how long it had been since they had seen her. A month? Six months? More? "Maria, would you mind showing Neal to his room?" Alanna indicated with her head towards me and smiled apologetically. "I'll meet you down here for some dinner in a little while. Is that alright?"

"Sure," I agreed faintly, and Alanna turned her attention back towards her family.

"So I have some stories for you," I heard her begin, and she began walking towards the steps, children still clustered around her, and George following, gently teasing Alanna about how she started her story. I took a second to marvel at the genuine happiness before the disappeared up the stairs, and then there was no one but Maria and me left.

"Squire, if you could care to follow me," she said demurely. I shouldered my pack silently once more and followed her up the stairs, down the hallway on the left, with two more rights until I was standing outside a reasonably sized room that overlooked the sea, which was currently thrashing against the coast. Maria took her leave, and I dropped my bag on the floor, deciding to unpack it later. I stripped out of my wet clothing, eager to get rid of the clinging and dingy feel that had started to coat my skin.

Someone had stocked the room well. Some fresh towels, clearly placed in the room in preparation for drying someone off, a clean dresser, a bed, a nightstand with candles already lit, curtains pulled back to give a view of the dynamic weather that stormed right outside my window.

I dried myself off, already feeling that much more refreshed and warm. I ran a comb through my hair, listening to the rain slam against the keep's walls, and still unpleasantly cool, I decided to huddle under the covers for just a few moments to gather some warmth…

* * *

TBC


	4. Learning

[Update 1/12/09] Just a quick check on the grammar issues.

Well, we get to some good stuff this time around…I hope you guys enjoy this next installment of…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Learning: the act or process of acquiring knowledge or skill**

It wasn't the bright light of dawn that came streaming in through the window. It was the dim, slow light of predawn that crept up before you even noticed it was getting light.

Still, it was enough to wake me, even without the drawn-out clangs that reverberated throughout the entire palace, which the keep lacked. I groaned as I rolled out of bed, dimly registered the fact that someone had just scurried out of my room, and drew myself together enough to register the fact that a) I was naked, b) I should probably do something about that fact and c) If I was going to do something about that fact, it would help very much to know where my clothing was.

I stepped over last night's clothing, still a little damp and muddy and squinted a little at my packs. I dug through them, sending most of the contents sprawling across the floor.

Loincloth, breeches, shirt, socks, boots…I peered at myself in the dim lighting that barely managed to reflect off of the mirror. I sneezed twice, and spent a brief second guarding my body against a cold, which was just about the last thing I wanted to suffer from. While I did so, the sun hauled itself over the horizon, wan light looking as happy as I was to be up so early in the morning.

I splashed some water on my face, the basin still steaming gently, and rinsed my hands. I cleaned my teeth next, feeling somewhat more human and then I ran a comb through my hair.

I clattered down the stairs. The keep wasn't asleep, but it wasn't quite awake either. I could smell the kitchen, hearing the faintest whisper of the clanging and thundering voices that had characterized every kitchen I had dared to venture into. However, the servants were just up an about, most of them streaming up the stairs, filtering out of the kitchen as they finished their breakfasts. It was Maria who noticed me once more, leading me to the table where Alanna, Baron George and their youngest son, Alan, were seated.

Alanna gestured at the table, where various fruits, oatmeal, cheese and some turnovers lay waiting to be consumed. "Help yourself."

I pondered a minute, before helping myself to a turnover, and orange, and grapes, still connected to the stem. I sat myself a chair down from Alan, and seeing no protest, bit into the turnover.

It was delicious, filled with sharp cheese, eggs, and honey-glazed ham. In minutes I was dusting my hands of the crumbs. I peeled the orange with more decorum, listening to Alan finish the rest of his story, while Alanna nibbled on the remains of an apple.

The end of the tale came with an explosion of laughter from Alan's parents, and their son's eyes crinkled at the corner. Having only listened to the last lines, I wasn't able to find the humor.

As their laughter died down, I found myself on the unfortunate receiving end of an intense stare from George. I swallowed the wedge of orange, and tried not to sound overtly petulant as I narrowed my eyes slightly and asked, "What?"

George grinned. "Tell me, lad, did Alanna here threaten to kill you yet?"

"Well, technically, I suppose," I answered, wondering briefly if Alanna had chosen her husband from an insane asylum. No one knew for sure where George was from despite the many guesses.

"Mithros," Alan grumbled at my response, while George crowed.

"And that should teach you that no one knows Alanna better than I do," George teased in response, holding out a hand. Alan groaned, but obligingly counted out a few coins.

"You bet on me?" Alanna's cheeks burned, and she raised a red eyebrow.

George smiled impishly (now I know where Alanna had gotten that expression!) and said, "Only because I know you so well."

"Pay up, then." Alanna waggled her fingers expectantly, lips pursed.

George seemed to swallow an even larger smile at his wife's annoyance. Obediently, her husband dropped most of the coins into Alanna's hand. Her finger's swiftly closed, and I heard a soft series of clinks as the coins were dropped into her belt purse.

"Come on, Neal," she commanded directly after. "We have more intelligent things to do than listen to these small children play guessing games."

"Like beat each other senseless with swords?" I asked dryly.

Alanna's grin had to much tooth in it. "Yes. Except I doubt you'll be beating me senseless anytime soon."

I rolled my eyes, but followed her out to the armory first. There we wrapped ourselves securely in pads to prevent injury from even the blunted swords. Following that, Alanna led me to where the blunt swords lay hanging against the wall. Since I only had my regular sword, she waved a relaxed hand at the swords as she picked up the sword I assumed that she regularly used for practice bouts.

I looked over the swords carefully, mentally comparing them to what I was used to. Towards the end of the row was one that seemed to suit my tastes and needs; it had enough weight without dragging me down, comfortable hilt, and neither too thick or too thin.

I joined Alanna out in the courtyard, where she was already loosening up muscles that were tight in the unusually cool morning air. I followed her lead, going through the different set of motions that I had learned.

Faces flushed with warmth as we finally faced one another while the sun made a true appearance, well over the long line of the horizon and gaining speed, making its way to the zenith.

"Well, are we going to wait all day, or get this started?" Alanna asked, bringing her sword up to guard herself. I mimicked her motion, waiting.

When I dueled with Kel, I always gave up first. I simply didn't have to patience to outwait a woman with the patience of stone. Merric would flutter about, as if waiting for a sign that said 'now is the time to go'. I often attacked first then, too, just to avoid his hopping about. Faleron, Roald, Prosper- it didn't matter. I would attack first, just to avoid the time wasted.

I blinked, and nearly got a slice from nose to navel as Alanna sprang into action, faster than I could have possibly imagined. "W-what?" I stuttered, defending myself instinctually.

She pressed the advantage, until I literally shoved her back, using my sword against hers as leverage. Alanna seemed to expect it, though, and leaped back as I shoved. Giving me no time to breath, she was pressing on the attack again.

Her sword grip shifted, and I recognized it, angling my sword so that her Rising Sun Sweep was angled down my sword length and onto my hilt, where I twisted it off, forcing Alanna away from me.

She readjusted her weight, balanced once more on the balls of her feet. I feinted towards her hips, but instead of neatly avoiding it as I had believed she would, Alanna half turned, and I was forced to tumble away from her sword. I brought it up in the guard position, unprepared for the force with which Alanna sent my sword hurtling out of my hands.

Alanna levered the sword at my head, and demanded, "Yield."

I nodded, chest tight for lack of breath and took the opportunity to wipe sweat out of my eyes. I was a little sore at the quick loss, but there was a reason that Alanna was the King's Champion.

At some point, someone had left some water skins, and I took a long pull after retrieving my practice sword. My knight mistress did the same, barely breathing hard. "Alright. Ready again?"

"Yes," I said, the wording riding out in an unhappy woosh of air.

I straightened, bringing my sword up to guard again, and watched Alanna carefully. I was sure that even I could outwait my impatient red-haired mistress.

Sure enough, no sooner had Alanna barked, "Guard!" than she was on the attack again. Her first cut was a long, vertical stroke that wasn't aimed at my chest, as I had first thought, but at my arm. Alanna had calculated the time it would take me to dodge and made sure her sword got a bite of me first. And it would have, no doubt, had I not already been standing at an angle.

My escape turned into a blessing as I leveled a cut at knee height. Alanna was forced back by the attack, but another angled cut was headed towards me, once again faster than I imagined.

My reflexes were automatic, and I was able to block, roll away, and stand before the next attack came.

Alanna feinted once. Her next feint turned into a Butterfly Crescent that had my sword jarring at impact. I responded automatically with the next move in the pattern she had created, the Winding Road, an parallel cut that abruptly turns into a backwards slash, aiming for the opponent's stomach.

As Alanna stopped my sword, I wondered who's lunacy it was to name deadly sword maneuvers after calm, beautiful things. Then Alanna's attack was bearing down on me and I avoided it narrowly. I tried to interrupt the pattern, but she avoided my attempts to break the rhythm. I stepped back, chest heaving, and feeling sweat gather on my body, sticky and warm beneath the practice pads. I didn't quite dare to look away from Alanna long enough to wipe the sweat from my eyes- the sun was getting high enough to beat down cruelly on the both of us, though my knight mistress was clearly less affected than I was.

I decided to follow her lead for a moment, but she would have defeated me once more had I not had quick enough reflexes. The minute I decided to follow the pattern she had set, she changed it on me, catching my sword on her hilt and nearly tearing it out of my hands.

I held on, surprising her with my quick recovery. However, she just set her chin firmly and gave me not relief. Her quick sweeps boxed me in, and with a quick jerk and a resounding ring, flung my sword out of my hand.

We waited for a moment, Alanna breathing far more easily than I was, and I wiped my brow across my forehead, clearing away the sweat that was rolling down my temples. I rubbed my eyes too, for good measure, but Alanna frowned.

I wondered what she was planning to do as she jogged back to the armory. I took a few more swallows of water, making sure I drank just enough so that I wouldn't suffer ill effects.

Alanna came jogging back out with a sword that I recognized from the armory. It was twice as heavy as the sword I held now, with a longer blade as well. Dawning realization flooded me. Just thinking about holding that blade made my already aching muscles flare. The sun beat down on me, and I wiped away a stream of sweat, licking off the remaining salty liquid from my lips.

"Surely you don't expect _me _to use that," I asked, a little more sharply than I intended. I was struggling to keep up with Alanna as it was. Surely she could see that.

The thinning of Alanna's lips was answer enough, but she also felt the need to say, in as short a tone as she could manage, "Knight. Squire," she ground out, pointing at first herself then me. She propped a hand on her hip as if that was the end of the story.

I narrowed my eyes and knew that I had the set of my body at its most mulish. If I were around Kel, this would be the point where she'd drag me off until I had 'found my mind and placed it back where it belonged'. Brainless or not, nothing could have stopped me from saying, "And I suppose that I should bow to you before Mithros, too?"

My heart stuttered as I spied a look of pure fury on Alanna's face before she turned away. She stomped back to the armory and my eyes grew to the size of soup plates. In her hand she carried a massive broadsword. I was almost ready drop to the ground and plead forgiveness from Mithros right then if Alanna tried to hand me the broadsword.

Silent, face matching her hair, she kept the broadsword for herself and shoved the other sword at me again. I was crimson too, only mine was from embarrassment. I liked and admired Alanna- truly, I did, or I would have accepted her offer, and yet I couldn't seem to curb my tongue.

At all.

Ever.

I opened my mouth to apologize, but there was something beyond just fury in Alanna's eyes as she snapped, voice thick and strong with deep ire, "Guard!"

I had honestly thought that Alanna had been going all-out against me. Well, perhaps not all out, but not reserving nearly the amount of strength that she clearly had been.

A split second after the word, "Guard!" had been uttered, Alanna flashed towards me, broadsword held in her hands as if it had no weight at all.

My grip faltered on the first blow, Alanna forcing me back. My muscles screamed in protest. She switched hands, though I didn't notice until I was blocking a blow to my right side.

Alanna's blade swung down the length of mine, steel on steel ringing as clearer than any other sound I've ever heard. I didn't get around to guard in time, and the flat side of her sword slammed against my calves, forcing my feet out from under me. I went down like a sack of rocks, with a resounding smack to my head. My vision blurred for a moment.

I was half lying on my side, sword tip pricking my stomach, with Alanna's sword shoved up against my heart, poking through the thick padding. I made sure I was perfectly still, positive that Alanna could hear my heart up the length of her blade.

I swallowed. After a few moments, Alanna withdrew her sword, violet eyes dark. "I trained everyday for four years with Coram, my guardian's sword. It was nearly taller than I was. I work damn hard to keep myself and those I'm protecting alive. You couldn't last ten minutes against me while I was carrying a blade that you would be hard-pressed to use to any advantage. If you want to be a knight of this realm, _you will_ _listen to me at all times and trust that I know what I am doing_." I had never heard a tone like that from anyone, and for the first time, I listened.

Sure, I did as Wyldon and the teachers asked, but I had not put in the effort I should have outside of those sessions. My flaws were glaringly obvious, and my embarrassment had me hiding my face. I didn't even notice Alanna reach down to pick up the sword that I had been using. I slowly stood, testing out worn muscles, feeling my shoulders stoop.

Staring hard at my chastised form, Alanna offered me the heavier sword. I looked down at the petit woman, wishing I knew how to make it right.

Face serious, I shook my head. "Lady Knight Alanna, I would be honored if you allowed me to use that broadsword for practice." I bowed low, chest tight as I waited for her response.

My hand was griped by a small, calloused one. A cool hilt was placed in my hand, and I looked up. Alanna's face was close to mine, searching me for Mithros knows what.

"I apologize," I said softly, watching her face.

The anger didn't disappear, but it was softened by a miniscule smile that was tucked into the corners of her mouth. "I accept. Neal, I know we're not used to each other, but we have to work together. We _will_ learn from one another. It's our _job_. _We need to keep this country safe. It's our duty_. And if it means extra hours spent learning, it's worth it, don't you think?" Alanna's words made me shiver with the passion in them.

I nodded.

Alanna's mouth quirked. "And now, boy, onto archery."

I groaned, more for play than in seriousness, and followed her back into the armory.

* * *

We both bathed and met back in the dining room, where we both tucked in to our lunches with gusto.

"And we're going to do a lot more horse work," Alanna was informing me when George wandered in with their daughter, Alianne.

George's face lit up upon seeing Alanna's face. I was reminded of my own father and mother, and looked away. "How was your morning?" George asked.

Alanna glanced at me. "It was…interesting. We seem to have things sorted out finally."

George gave Alanna a penetrating look. "I see. Well, if you get the chance, Tyrrin's wife is still complaining about her back. She claims that Maude doesn't do anything but lock it up worse. She's demanding that you see her. When you get the chance, of course."

Alanna sighed. "Forget the horses. Well, Neal, it looks as though you're going to get your first healing lesson sooner before later. And remind me when we get back to work out a schedule, so I can work out exactly what's going to be going on with your training while we're here. George, can you tell me when the missive comes from Jon? Scanra's been acting up, and I've been waiting to hear if I'm going to get posted there."

Alianne groaned. "Mama, you know that Lyda won't wear that poultice Maude gave her. That's why her back won't get any better."

"And would you have me withhold my magic from a woman who is out working in the fields from dawn to dusk?" Alanna asked sharply of her daughter, who looked away. "She can't afford to stay in bed long enough for the poultice to do its work, you know that. I can at least give her relief for the next few months."

Alianne silently ate her bread, while I raised my eyebrows. "So after lunch we're headed down to the village?" I asked, trying not to sound as unhappy as I felt. Even after four years as a page, I felt as weary as I had the first day that I had trained.

From Alanna's dry look, she caught the misery. "Yes. And you might even learn a thing or two."

"Maybe even something intelligent?" I asked, and immediately bit my tongue.

Alanna seemed resigned to my…tendency to speak as though I had no filter on my mouth. Even so soon after my last unfiltered statement, Alanna only rolled her eyes. In the back of my mind I was grateful; it would be impossible for me to work with someone who took offense at every phrase that came out of my mouth. If Wyldon had done that, I'd still be a page, helping Stefan muck out the stalls as punishment.

Alanna smiled. "And if you're really lucky, you'll have something stick to the inside of that skull of yours."

George laughed, hazel eyes bright. "Neal, I'd quit while you're ahead. You won't beat Alanna here for a long time."

Even Alianne laughed at that, and Alanna stood, cracking her back with a wince. She walked along the edge of the table, giving my ear a brief tug. "Come on. Let's go. George, can you ask Maude to meet us at the gate?"

George nodded his head. "Of course."

With a sigh, I finished my bread and obediently trotted after Alanna.

This time I was led to the stables, where Alanna began to saddle up Darkmoon. I began to saddle up Zypher when Alanna exclaimed. "I forgot. Here, Neal. This will probably serve you better than Zypher there."

Alanna led me over to a horse remarkably similar to her own Darkmoon. Coarse black locks made up the mare's tail and mane. White stockings and diamond on her forehead were stark against the blue roan colored body.

"Goddess bless," I breathed when the mare nuzzled me. I spent a few moments checking her over, trusting that Alanna was giving me a good horse.

"This is Darkmoon's younger sibling." Alanna's voice was right in my ear, and I started at the sound. "I've been calling her Bluemoon, but if that doesn't suit you, you can change it. Her tack is down the row. Bluemoon- and the tack- are yours." Alanna may have pointed, but I was engrossed by the sweet creature, who was eagerly nosing my pockets for a treat. I suddenly understood Kel's attachment to her various animals.

"I'm sorry, I don't have you anything this time around," I whispered, but Bluemoon seemed to forgive that and nipped at my shirt instead, insisting on paying all her attention to me. I apologized and pulled away, eagerly grabbed the horses tack, and saddled her, even Alanna's gift of Raven Armory tack paling in comparison to the joy with which I viewed Bluemoon. She turned her head looking back at me shook her head.

"Thank you," I told Alanna solemnly, from atop Bluemoon. Alanna looked away, turning to finish saddling Darkmoon. She might have mumbled something, but it was hidden behind her horse. I resolved to find a way to give her proper thanks.

I let Alanna draw ride out first, and I followed. At the gate, and elder woman, face creased with wrinkles, eyed Alanna critically. "You look tired. You should sleep more often. Have you heard from the King yet? Tell Alianne if I find her paws in my storeroom one more time, I'm going force feed her the bitterest brew I can make."

Alanna sighed. "Maude, I am capable of taking care of myself. Surprisingly, I've been doing it for years. No, I haven't, and you can tell her yourself. You had no problem telling me that."

Maude sniffed. "Don't try that. You know perfectly well that you didn't go near my storeroom. Thom, on the other hand-"

"Was in and out of there every chance he had, I've heard. I've been there, actually," Alanna twisted, cracking her back again. "Come. Tell me the news from the village."

Maude launched into tales of babies, deaths, sicknesses and the like as Alanna and Maude rode side to side. I followed behind, carefully watching the road, which was filled with rocks.

A tree had been knocked down, laying across the road. With a grunt, Alanna carefully moved it over, out of everyone's way, and smoothed down the path. Looking no worse for the wear, she continued and we followed her.

The village wasn't a large affair. I didn't study the details, however, because as we arrived, a man, mostly bald, arrived. "Lady," he began voice panicked. "We was just gonna send someone! We need a midwife, bad! Kessie's givin' birth, but the babe's breeched!"

Alanna dismounted, and I was right behind her. We raced after the man, and entered a small home just as a woman's shriek tore through the air. Alanna's pace picked up, and I followed. We bounded up stairs into a room where an elder woman was wringing her hands. I guessed the mother of the woman lying on the bed. They certainly looked similar enough.

"Perfect. Neal, time for your first lesson in childbirth," Alanna said grimly, and gripped my hands. I was tugged over the woman, who was screaming again. Alanna placed my hands on the womb, and I felt the ripples of a contraction flooding through Kessie's body. "Okay, close your eyes, and find the child with your magic." While I did so, Alanna instructed Kessie not to push until Alanna gave the order. She must have given the response Alanna wanted, because I didn't hear her repeat it. Instead, I laced tendrils of green magical fire around the child.

_Okay, now gently roll it toward you. Be sure to tug gently. It's bones are delicate, especially in the neck and skull. _Alanna said to me through her magic. I nodded to show I understood, and sweating, feeling like I was being baptized by fire, I turned the child as carefully as I could. It didn't occur to me to watch out for contractions, which could interfere, but Alanna's magic covered the walls, allowing me to do my work.

The second the child was righted, Alanna practically shouted, "Push!" to Kessie, who turned red-faced and sweated up a storm in the burning heat. Her mother rushed to bathe Kessie's forehead in cool cloths.

As if things couldn't get more hectic, another man rushed in at that moment, maybe three years older than I was. "Kess!" he shouted, flying to her side and nearly knocking me over in the process. "Are you alright? Is she alright?" he questioned. There was no question in my mind- he was _definitely _the father.

High pitched shrieks broke the air, as Kessie gave it one last push and the baby started screaming. Alanna caught the child in a clean cloth, gently wiping away the blood and other fluids covering the small child. My stomach turned and I looked away.

"You have a baby girl," Alanna said gently, and handed the child over to the new parents, who cooed, as was expected. The newly made grandmother and grandfather crowded around the bed as well, while Maude, Alanna and I made our escape.

It was surreal. Something so intense, so delicate, had barely taken more than an hours time. Regardless, I felt emotionally drained, my muscles aching. Alanna simply handed me a canteen of water, which I downed in a few hasty gulps.

Alanna's grin was anything but kind as she said, "And that's only the beginning."

Maude headed off, to see what she could help with, while Alanna led me to the home of Tyrrin and Lyda. Tyrrin was a mousy man, late forties while his wife was the complete opposite. Tall and with more body than she had a use for, Lyda smiled at our arrival. Despite her robust frame, her voice was as fragile as her husband's. "Thank you dear, for coming so soon," Lyda lisped, showing gaped front teeth. "I know you are busy."

I had the feeling Alanna didn't like the name 'dear', but she seemed to tolerate it from Lyda, though she winced at the name. "Turn over, Lyda, I need to see your back."

"Busy day already?" Tyrrin laughed. "Let me get you some food. I know you get hungry after magework." I was startled by their kindness as Tyrrin bustled off before either Alanna or I could say anything.

Lyda, who had been seated, knitting something in her lap, set it down and took a plush rug from in front of the hearth and pulled it over, laying down on top of it. I sneezed twice.

"Come here, boy," Alanna said, and I kneeled down next to her. "Now, summon up your magic again, and tell me what you find in Lyda's back." She waited patiently as I called it forth and inspect the muscles and bones in Lyda's back.

I ruled out torn muscles, broken bones, disfigured bones, abnormal growths, and many others. After an hour's time of searching, I finally realized what was wrong. "Her back, it isn't as straight as it's supposed to be." I shook my head. "But there isn't really anything you can do without spending days and days of time slowly straightening and bracing it."

Alanna shook her head. "That's not really true. We can pad and provide support for her back."

"How?" I asked curiously. I'd never heard of anything like it before.

Alanna shook her head. "It's not popular with healers because it wears off every couple of months. However, it's also not popular because the typical midwife or healer won't have the power to do it, and the greater healers won't descend to the level of the common people." Alanna's scoffing tone told everyone in the room exactly what she thought of people who refused to help people because they were common.

"Okay, then why don't we do it now? You have enough time, don't you?"

Alanna sighed, shaking her head. "It needs to be nearly constant. I wish I could, but I can't sustain it for the hours necessary and not end up draining myself to the point that I'd be useless in battle.

I bit my lip, mulling the problem over. "What if I asked a favor of one of my healer friends? Ulric should be a full healer by now. We only exchange letters now, and I haven't seen him since I became a page. However, can't I at least write a letter? Even if he can't come, you'll be no worse off." I shrugged.

Lyda started to get up. "No, no, that's to great for the likes of me. This is fine, really it is. Besides, I can't be stuck waiting. I need to be out in the fields."

"You can do it during the winter, when there are no crops to be cared for," I told her evenly, hand on her shoulder. I gave her a steely look. "Don't worry, Ulric may seem silly at first, but he's a good fellow."

"No, really, I couldn't," Lyda demurred. "I don't have the money-"

"And Ulric is forever writing to me, complaining of how little useful work he does as a healer right now." My even look had Lyda biting her lip, finally considering my offer. I smiled. "Don't make me write to him and tell him of the chance that I could have offered him."

Lyda looked down shyly. "Only if he takes what coin we can offer." She sniffed. "I'll not take charity."

Alanna shot me a warm look, smile lighting up her face. I blushed and looked away under her scrutiny. She patted me on the shoulder. "Now, Neal, let me show you how to do this. You may have to do so until another healer can be found."

Naturally, I followed her magic with mine into Lyda's body, watching as she took the stored fat of Lyda's body and anchored it in support to the curving back. She filled in the curves expertly, making sure to ease the aches while she was attending to Lyda's spine.

It was a slow process, for the fat was reluctant to move, though it supported the back willingly enough.

It was late afternoon by the time Alanna was done, and she wiped away sweat that had beaded her brow.

I caught her when Alanna started to sway, helping her sit on a chair. She irritably pushed my hands away. "I'm fine," she insisted to me. I allowed her to sit alone in the chair, fetching her some water and food, which she eagerly devoured. I knew as well as anyone else that such a long magical working could really drain a healer.

A thundering knocking on the door had Tyrrin, Alanna, Lyda and I staring at the door. Tyrrin practically ran to open it, and a small boy, no more than nine or so years old gasped, "Lady! You've gotta come! They found Gary Clearwater! They thought he was lost in the storm, because we didn't see him come into port, and Gary's wife was crying, but Gary's in pretty bad shape and they're gonna lose the ship cause it probably can't be fixed, and their oldest son-"

"Take us to him," Alanna's powerful voice shut the child up. As we raced after the child, Alanna looked at me, smile strained as she said, "And now the real work begins."

* * *

TBC


	5. Chivalry

Okay, I'd firstly like to apologize for the lateness. I know it's nothing you haven't heard from an author, but I'm sure all of you can understand how life, well, can literally take over your life! I do warn you that I've taken some liberties with this chapter, but I hope that you feel that fit into the normal responses of the characters. Anyways, I hope this is a good enough chapter to make up for the absence. So please enjoy…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

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**Chivalry: The ideal qualifications of a knight including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms**

We left the village practically carrying Alanna, but even more importantly, we left the village without having to make plans for a burial. The villagers insisted on waving us off, much to Alanna's chagrin and Maude and my general embarrassment. As we made our way back to the keep, Maude rode silently behind Alanna in the dim twilight that threw shadows across everything, Maude's horse obediently following Bluemoon.

Maude must have sent Baron George a runner while Alanna was working (I mostly observed and gave Alanna extra magic. Hardly an adventure) because we had servants awaiting our return, and the Baron and Alianne were there to help carry off Alanna.

"First thing, tomorrow morning, more practice," Alanna managed to say tiredly before they carted her off, only slurring her words a little.

Maude's eyes followed her mistress, absentmindedly giving her horse to a hostler who had been waiting patiently beside her. "Come on, Neal," Maude said in her low, even voice. "You can help me unpack my things."

I miraculously resisted the urge to groan- all my aches from my duel this morning were setting in, and I could barely keep my eyes open, having used more of my magic than I was accustomed to. I had to trot after the small woman, whose brisk pace was uncomfortably fast.

Maude carried her basket to a worktable, while I placed the pack I had carried for her next to it. She flapped a hand. "Go on, unused herbs can be put in the cabinet right there. It's all labeled, so I'm sure you'll be able to put everything back."

_I'm not sure, but this may be where Alanna's short temper was unintentionally encouraged_, I thought wryly, stifling a yawn that had my jaw cracking in a most unpleasant manner. Energy sapped, I slowly organized the herbs and placed them back in a neat and orderly manner while Maude finished with the rest of her things.

It wasn't until a mug was shoved under my nose that I even realized that Maude had been working on a brew. "If I know Alanna, I'm sure your feeling those aches and pains from this morning. You'll adjust, but in the meantime, you'll come down here and have some of this."

"But I'm a mage," I protested. "I can heal myself!"

"And sap energy?" Maude sharply replied, raising an eyebrow. "I think not, and if you were in any position to think, you'd know I was right."

"I know you're right now, and I'm still protesting," I grumbled.

I startled a laugh out of Maude, who shook her head, "Both bone-headed, aren't you?" She said agreeably, shoving her concoction at me. "You're more alike than you'd imagine. Now finish that right now, and off to be with you. You'll be up early."

I choked it down unhappily. "What is _in _this?" I gagged. Maude pinched my nose as if I were a child and tipped the cup, forcing me to drain it or be suffocated. I drank it down automatically, the gesture used often enough in my youth.

"Now, _to bed_," Maude ordered, and as if I were a compliant child, I left the room and stumbled back to my own quarters.

I rolled into bed, staring dully at the ceiling as I felt my pulse echoing through my body in time with my aches. However, within minutes I felt Maude's brew take and I slipped into a dreamless sleep.

I woke, feeling as if I had reverted back to my page years. That familiar sensation of throbbing muscles demanding that you lay as still as possible for as long as possible had me grunting as I rolled out from under the covers. I heard the rustle of somebody leaving, and dragged my body over to the basin to splash some water on my face and clean my teeth- all with my eyes tightly closed. I dressed myself in the same manner, only opening my bleary eyes to muster the energy to get down the steps. I wasn't two steps though, before I walked back into my room and buckled the thrice cursed sword that weighed more than a dragon to my belt. I stumbled down the steps, and saw that Alanna was in barely more awake than I was, though clearly much better for the night's sleep.

"Good morning," she greeted pleasantly enough. Alianne waved, her mouth full, and George simply smiled. I returned my greeting and then had my fill of fruit and a pastry silently, while George and Alianne, who were far too awake for this time of day, chatted eagerly about a code of some sorts.

Finally, Alanna's chair scraped back, and with a quick peck to George's cheek and a swift hug to Alianne, Alanna beckoned for me to follow her out into the courtyard.

Her eyes gleamed with approval as she noticed which sword I was lugging around, and from twitching lips, she had seen the unmistakably stubborn set of my chin. As I followed her, she appeared to muse for a second or two before beginning, "After some sword work, we're going to see how you do with archery. This afternoon, we'll go down to the smith's to see what we can do about getting you outfitted with armor and shield and the like. Once we get all of that straightened out, we'll work on lance work if we get the chance and I've asked Maude to do some work with you on herbs and healing potions every other night, since that's not something I have expertise in. So tonight, after dinner, you'll be joining her until she lets you go." Alanna's nod was matter of fact, ruling out any notion I had of disputing her plan.

Once more, we loosened out muscles in the courtyard and once Alanna had fetched her sword, we stood, facing off, until Alanna moved and I brought my weary muscles to face hers with a resounding clang as she brought her sword down on me-

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The three weeks passed quickly, though there were more surprises that I felt was warranted, much to my chagrin. For instance, there was the time that Alanna decided to surprise me by attacking with magic instead of her sword, insisting that I needed to wield both as effective weapons. Or the fact that I was eventually send down to the village on my own, learning how to heal by being thrown to the sharks (not literally, but believe me, some of the villagers certainly had the temperament of sharks). Maude taught me to make some basic potions that would keep someone alive even if I didn't have enough magic to heal them as well as regaling me with stories of Alanna as a young child, before she became a page, thereby reminding me that everyone is human. And of course, I received my armor, made of the best quality steel, and broke it in by using it in battle with Alanna. Then there was lance work and archery- sometimes it felt as though my bruises had bruises.

I also made sure not to take shortcuts, and under the cover of dark I spent an extra hour each night, if not more, working with that heavy practice sword, reveling as it became easier to carry, one day at a time.

So when the King's official missive arrived, ordering Lady Knight Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau and Squire Nealan of Queenscove to report to Hawk's Peak Fort on the Scanran border, it felt a little surreal to pack that very night for an early morning the next day.

The parting was a whirlwind, dawn peeking over the keep walls as Maude gave me long, rambling instructions, tucked food into my hands, and shoved various texts into my packs. Baron George's instructions were far more precise as he clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Keep her safe," he said solemnly, and I wanted to protest. It Alanna didn't know how to take care of herself already, the realm was in deep trouble. Alianne didn't say a word to me, while she gave her mother a sweet, if curiously detached, farewell. And so, within an hour's time we were on the road again.

We arrived at the busting Hawk's Peak in a week and a half, hampered by rain that consistently turned to roads to sludge. The fort wasn't as large as I had expected, and as the gate was lifted, I saw that the members of the fort were more relaxed than I had expected.

It was a captain that greeted us with a sweeping bow, and when he looked up his face was surprisingly young. "Allow me to introduce you to William, son of Coram Smythesson, lord of Trebond."

William's freckled face broke into a smile, making his seeming even younger. "And you'd be Neal of Queenscove, I 'spect." William said. His voice had that same barely-there accent that Alanna's did, and I figured it was natural to the region.

"You're right," I said, and both Alanna and I dismounted, and Alanna pulled him into a brief hug.

"How's Coram doing?" Alanna asked as she took off her helm and attempted to tug her red locks in some semblance of order.

"Eh, Da and Ma are alright. This Scanran thing has got 'em up in arms, but they're handling it well. When Da found out that you were comin, he told me that he expects to see you when you get the chance, he figures afore you go back to the palace for winter."

"You can send in your next letter that I'll see what I can do," Alanna promised readily. To me, it seemed as though leaving for the palace again would take forever- it already felt as though I'd been with Alanna for forever.

"Well, me and my men'll help you get settled in," William promised, and a few junior officers jogged up and took our horses and gear from us. "And in the meantime, I'm sure Colonel Doggen would like to have a word with ya." Again, William's grin was easy and eager.

Alanna smiled at me. "While I'm speaking with the colonel, can you make sure that everything is properly organized?" She then walked off, leaving me no chance to argue.

I sighed, but shrugged philosophically. There was no point in trying to fight the command. Instead, I grabbed one of the packs that we had brought with us and slung it over my shoulder. William whistled sharply, the sound careening across the entire fort, and a few young men, about my age joined us, hauling the remaining few packs.

"Alright, men, let's get this stuff to the Lioness's quarters!" William declared. Laughing and teasing one another, they all walked off, clearly at ease. I trailed a little behind, following as they made their way across the court yard to a set of barracks.

I had assumed that I would be sleeping in the barracks, while Alanna had her own room. Therefore, it was to my great surprise that William showed me another doorway that led into a smaller room that adjoined Alanna's, both of which were down a hall with the other senior officer's rooms. The colonel had his own private set of rooms, but everyone else roomed in the barracks.

"So this'll be your room," William said with a flourish. "If you be needing anything, just give a shout."

I nodded my thanks, and was left to my own devices as William and his men went back to their regular duties. I made sure the room was organized to my taste, and after a slight hesitation, made sure that all of Alanna's things were equally organized, though as I didn't know how she liked everything, I left that part up to her.

Just as I finished, Alanna came in, sitting on the bed. "How was the meeting?" I asked curiously.

"No more interesting than sitting through a diplomatic dinner," Alanna said with a roll of her eyes. "It consisted of little more than the standard 'Lioness, it is a great honor to have you hear with us, I hope you enjoy your stay'…" she made a face, and my laughter, already barely contained, burst out.

Her smile was wry, but she insisted, "It's true! Of course, now that all of that who-hah is done, we'll be able to start the real work after dinner. Colonel Doggen and Captain William promised me that they'd go over recent troop movements, previous attacks and the like." Alanna turned back and forth, cracking her back. "I want you to be there- I want to hear your impressions afterwards. Also, I did get the chance to speak about training. You and I will still practice on a whole manner of things, but Doggen did agree that some mornings you will be able to join in on the battle part of the military trainings."

"But why?" The words were out of my mouth before I had thought them through. "What I mean is, why am I going to join the army battles if I'm training to become a knight? Even in war, I would be stationed and fight in battle with other knights."

Alanna shook her head. "That is truly a common misconception. Yes, many knights will do that. But between these skirmishes with Scanra and…" She trailed off, as if unsure of how to phrase what she wanted to say. I tried to wait patiently for her to finish, but I couldn't help fidgeting. "The reality is this. If you were going to be doing ordinary knight's work, the fact of the matter is that Jon would not have taken such a keen interest in you, or any of your friends." Her tone was blunt, clear, and her words were absolutely impossible to mistake.

I almost felt dizzy with the news. "What?"

Alanna shook her head. "You sound like me, when I found out that I was a tool of the gods. Neal, you and your friends…_unique_…reaction to your page years is part of the reason that Jon to such an interest. Few people would ever question hazing, let alone take an active measure to stop it to any degree. Think about it. And yes, Wyldon would have pushed Kel as far as she would go, but even he might not have used a willow ring for the lance if Jon hadn't requested it. Or your training as a healer- which, of course, you and I are going to be the healers for this fort while we are here. Or your friend Owen's wild enthusiasm, if somewhat questionable practical skills. You must have realized that just the fact that you survived the bandits in the hills as a page must have meant that you all are not an ordinary group of people."

I shook my head. "Alanna, I think you're mistaken." I smiled, a bare twitch of my lips. "Maybe Kel. She's something else entirely, but the rest of us? At best we're better than average, and that's only because we all worked at it."

"What do you think I did? Had it handed to me on a silver platter?"

"No, but regardless of how hard you worked, you were still in the hand of the Mother Goddess."

I could tell Alanna didn't like my response by the way that she pursed her lips, but she didn't answer, so I didn't have the opportunity to argue my point further, as I would have dearly liked.

Instead, my knight mistress gazed out the window, purple eyes not focusing on anything, but her only words were, "It's almost time for dinner. We should head over to the mess."

I stood and followed her, turning her words over in my head, but I still couldn't give them any merit. I'd be a fool to say that as a whole, we were a special bunch, but the rest of it I couldn't help but dismiss. Maybe as the tools of the gods, Alanna saw their magic most places, even if it wasn't.

The mess hall was already relatively noisy, and Alanna and I joined the growing line, snagging a tray and watched as the servers placed roasted potatoes, greens, and some ham on my plate. When Doggen motioned for Alanna to sit with him, Alanna grinned. Of course, like most of Alanna's grins, it was too wicked for comfort. "Sorry Neal, it appears you're on your own."

I wasn't on my own for long, for as soon as William saw me he and his friends waved. "Neal!" he shouted over the noise. "Over here!"

Grinning, and feeling relieved, I made my way over to their table and placed my tray down, sitting in an open seat. Bread and butter already sat on the table along with a pitcher of water.

William sat two people down and across the table from me, but he leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief as he asked, "So how are you faring with Alanna as a knight mistress? And no lies, mind. My father was with her from before she was a page, so you will hardly be able to top some of his stories."

"Yet," the man next to me said with a chortle. "I've heard that she's grown an even shorter tempered."

William shook his head. "Now that is something that I simply don't believe is possible."

"Well, you know the Lioness! She makes a habit of the impossible!" I didn't see who made the comment, but the table roared with laughter. I was also startled to hear the note of pride that filled the men's faces, despite their exuberance.

"And now I'm being remiss in my manners," William said. He sat up straight, arranging his face in what was clearly supposed to be an expression of primness, and while his friends howled with laughter, William said, "The joker sitting next to you is Rupert Hays, and the crazy across from you is Yisdel Weaver. They're both from Corus city. The two sitting next to Rupert are Joseph- Joe for short- and Jack Harkness. They're brothers from a fishing village down near Blue Harbor."

"Yeah, but them stinky fish weren't for the likes of us," Joe joked.

William flapped a hand to get them quiet, continuing his impersonation of a proper introduction. "Next to me here is Phineas, Phin for short. He is serious enough for the rest of us, so we make it our jobs to have as much fun as possible. He's from Fief Rosemark" Sure enough, Phin's face was a little dour, but he gave me a nod. "And lastly, we have Asbul of the Bloody Hawk tribe." I was surprised to hear the name of Alanna's old tribe, and even more surprised to find that the man had a remarkably round face, with an even more startling beak for a nose.

"And of course, there's me. William Smythesson of Trebond. Will for short." Will tried to bow in his seat, failed miserably, and set everyone off again.

"Well," I returned, mimicking Will's properness, "I am Squire Nealan of Queenscove." I couldn't keep the façade up past that and cracked a smile. "Neal, of course, is much easier than that."

"Awright, Neal," Jack said, accent filled with elongated vowels. He eyes were a dark brown and remarkably sharp. "I don't believe you ever towld us what it was like with the Lioness as a knight mistress."

I was suddenly the focus of eight intense gazes, which had me leaning back.

I sipped at my water, throat suddenly dry. "Well," I told them in my wryest voice, "first and foremost, she's taught me that I know little more than a newborn when it comes to weaponry."

That seemed to be the right response. They all laughed heartedly, and the conversation turned towards other venues.

To soon, we were done dinner and Alanna was waggling her fingers at me, telling me to come. "Well, it's been wonderful, but I am still at my mistress's beck and call. Remember me," I said mournfully.

"We'll burn oil for you every day in Mithros's name and ask for mercy for you," Rupert said solemnly, and the table was set off again.

I walked swiftly over to the table where Colonel Doggen, Alanna and a few other senior officers sat. The trays had been cleared away, and as I reached where they were sitting, they all stood. Alanna waited from the to pass, choosing instead to walk with me as we left the mess hall and walked towards the colonel's quarters. However, we didn't go into his rooms, but down a hall into a large room that could easily fit twenty or so people comfortable. In the middle of the room was a massive table, outfitted with a detailed three-dimensional map of the fort and the surrounding landscape for almost twenty miles, all to scale. I nearly let out a whistle at it, but Alanna's look stopped me. I stood next to Alanna, looking over her shoulder as Doggen began.

"As you know, Maggur had begun the bring clans under his banner. We're not sure yet how he's managed to do this, but thus far he's got five clans together, which has been unheard of for over two hundred years." With a grim faces, everyone in the room made the sign against evil on their chests, me included. "But that's not the concern here. The main concern is that with these troops, for the first time, Scanra has a real chance to do some damage to Tortall. Again, as I'm sure you heard, there was that business with Northwatch." Again, the people in the room were shaking their heads.

"What I have marked here on the board is the attacks that are heard of in this area, from attacks on this fort itself to the surrounding villages. Our biggest concern is Plumstead, because it is the only village on the entire border that has both good soil and a big fur trade. We cannot afford to lose it. In addition, you can also see from the coded colors that we've marked which tribes are attacking when. Though they all attack under Maggur's banner, they still wear the clan colors. We are starting to have suspicions that a six clan has been added, because some attacks have parties who wear more than one color."

"The next nearest fort is about fifteen miles to the east, Engle's Fort. They've been sustaining the same types of attacks that we've been- small parties at best, never more than fifteen, but most importantly, they never strike at only one place. Usually they hit two to three different areas, though they have been known to hit up to five if the pickings are good, like when the merchant caravans come through here in the spring." Doggen fell silent for a moment, looking as though he was wondering if he had missed anything.

"Oh! Also, any prisoners that can be captured would be a wonderful thing. Sir Myles is mighty eager to speak and figure out what's going on with Scanra, and the more opportunities the better."

Doggen nodded, clearly finished. "Anything else?" He glanced at each officer, but the silently shook their heads. "In that case, meeting adjourned."

Alanna left first and I tagged along behind obediently. We saw few people as we walked to the barracks. A few sentries were on duty on the fort wall, and we could hear that the rest of the men were probably in the officer's hall, relaxing for the evening.

As we walked into the barrack that contained our rooms, the light globes on the wall immediately flared up. "Fancy," I commented, but Alanna was still bustling off to her room.

"Come on, Neal," she informed me, and once more I sighed heavily before following her into her room.

Alanna sat gingerly on the bed, cracking her back again. She kicked off her boots and motioned at the chair. I pushed back my sleeves, leaning forward, resting my elbows on my knees. Alanna stared into space for a few moments and then shook her head. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"What did you think?"

"Of what? I didn't realize that anything Doggen said could be questioned."

"That's not the point. I mean, thing in a larger scope."

I didn't see where Alanna was going with this. "Well, clearly Maggur has something that the clans either want, or he has some great power, or something. Something is keeping them under his banner. He's got two clans with a blood feud with one another under his control, not to mention the other three hate each other's guts on general principles."

Alanna nodded. "What else?"

I shrugged. "That three pronged attack? Not likely something he learned in Scanra. He must've had training of some sort somewhere."

Alanna agreed. "What else."

I frowned, wondering what she was getting at. "I don't know what else? What else was I supposed to be looking for?"

"You didn't notice that whenever the attacks are pronged, they go for all big targets or all small to make it harder to choose?" Alanna sounded genuinely surprised.

I flushed. "Was I supposed to?" I'm pretty sure I sounded petulant but I couldn't help it.

"Didn't Wyldon have lessons of that sort of nature while you were a page?"

"Yes, but that was a little different. That was past battles, not current ones." Alanna stared at me, and I flushed deeper. She clearly didn't care about my flimsy excuse.

"What else."

This time I paid proper attention, and tried to think back to the map. "The attacks are few and far between usually, so when they hit twice in a short space of time, we're usually caught off guard."

Alanna beamed. "Now you're thinking. It's one thing in peaceful times, when you might just be defending yourself and the locals. The minute a war pops up, or your placed in a group, things become entirely different." Alanna's happy expression changed to something more serious.

"And the fact of the matter is, you, like me, are going to be placed in groups even in peacetime. You're going to be a healer-knight, and those come are way to far apart for their talents to be wasted. You might be regularly stationed at forts, or you might serve with the Queen's Riders." Alanna shrugged her shoulders a little. "You might work with the Own. I really don't know. I can't read Jon's mind, but you need to become a knight thinking about things like this. This has gone beyond just a knowledge in the head. You've taken on the task of becoming a knight physically by using that practice I've given you and pushing yourself beyond even what I could reasonably ask of you. Now you must become a knight mentally. You need to think in a completely different manner than that of your university days. You need to think about strategy, what the taking of lives means to a knight, you need to know how to deal with everyone- especially those that have different views than you. You must learn these skills, Nealan, if you are ever to become the effective and powerful knight of the realm I know you can be." Alanna's face softened a little bit. "And you have to trust me to guide you on that path."

As foolish as Kel might've thought the speech, I have to admit it set my heart aflame to hear such passion in Alanna's voice. It was one thing to be shown such dedication on the court- skill in battle doesn't mean that you are truly dedicated to being a knight. It's listening to the reason why people became knights, or members of the King's Own or of the Queen's Riders, or of the army, or why anyone did anything with that was truly amazing, because even the most uncultured speaker will shine when speaking of something that they love.

Alanna waited as I mulled over those thoughts, and I took the words to heart. I hadn't been with Alanna long, but here it was; the reason I had become a knight in the first place was not just to fulfill my brother's legacy. It was also because, despite Wyldon's contrary statements, knights were there to protect the weak and the hopeless as well as the prideful and powerful. Alanna seemed to have a unique talent for voicing what I couldn't put into words, and more than ever I was looking forward to learning from her.

"Of course, Alanna," I said quietly. I got up from the chair, and sat next to her, pulling her into a brief hug. I raced from the room afterwards, leaving Alanna looking stunned and confused.

In my room, I sagged against the door, feeling far older than my nineteen years. Sliding down, I sat in the dark of my room.

My heart still thundered in my ears, burning with the passion of Alanna's words.

"And I thought I would just learn how to swing a sword," I laughed to myself. The smile stayed on my face. I felt as though I must have a unique talent for becoming friends with interesting women, to have met so many in my life.

Alanna actually reminded me a lot of Kel when I first met her- this blocky ten year old, with one of the sharpest minds I've ever met when it comes to chivalry and morality. I'm still shocked every time I remember the time that Kel started her bully patrol, and we tried to talk her out of it, just as I'll never forget saying to her, "_I'm just trying to reconcile with the fact that the best lesson I've ever had on the matter of chivalry came from a ten year old girl_."

My head thumped as it hit the door, and I sighed. I felt lucky, lucky to be a part of something so great that was sweeping the country. Alanna, Master Salmalin, Daine, King Jonathan, Queen Thayet, Lord Raoul, Owen, Roald, and especially Kel, were all making this incredible difference in the world, and I had no desire to stand by while it happened.

So I stood, and took hold of my practice sword.

--------------------

As always, I woke up weary. I knocked into the table, yelping as the pain bypassed my sleepy mind and shook me awake. I groaned, ready to drop back into bed, and viewing the rising sun with an equal amount of rising disgust. I was up, however, so I rinsed my face quickly in the cool water that had been brought into my room. It was cool enough that I did everything as quickly as possible, to keep my fingers from getting chilled.

Once I was dressed, I exited the barracks, joining the steady stream of men who were leaving. I caught sight of Alanna's bright red hair just before it disappeared out the door. I didn't quite dare to race after her, because I didn't want to make a bad impression on the senior officers around me. Instead, I looked for Alanna in the mess hall, and as usual, she called me over with a twitch of the fingers.

"Good, Neal, you're up." Alanna said as her calloused fingers peeled an orange. "You're going to start having some busy days. Morning will be spent working with Will's group. If they're out scouting, you're out scouting. If they're training with bows, so're you. Exceptions include only parade, during which you'll be placed into my ever caring hands for some sword work." Alanna tapped the table. "Afternoons will be filled with whatever else you can imagine. Healing. Battle plans. News about Scanra. Also, we got a letter early this morning, and hopefully Daine will be joining us in a few days for a few days. She wants to scope out this section of the border, maybe do some flybys and give us a heads up on any Scanran activity. While she's here, you're to help her out, alright?" I nodded my head, of course. "Excellent. Now, eat breakfast, because I'm sure Will's group will be heading off sooner than you think."

That was my cue to scamper away and wait in line impatiently for some fruit and two rolls, freshly baked and studded with dried currants.

I joined Will's table, where Jack's tray was pushed away from him and he appeared to be sleeping on the table. Rupert wasn't in much better a state. Will and Yisdel where simply subdued, but it was Joe, Absul, and Phineas who were startlingly awake. They carried on their conversation as if it were not the crack of dawn. The matter being so emphatically discussed was something in the philosophic realm, but I was to damn tired to care.

Instead, I ate silently, and following Jack's lead, I rested my head on the table and waiting for everyone to finish. They were done to fast for my liking. I could have easily rested for another, oh, seven hours quite happily.

Instead, I was jarred awake by Joe yanking on my chair. The only reason I didn't get mad was because I saw Rupert and Jack getting the same treatment. Grumpy, Jack, Rupert and I walked shoulder to shoulder in the back of the group, while Phin, Joe and Absul took the lead. Will and Yisdel where somewhere in the middle, talking a little to one another, but not very loudly, a complete departure from the friends that they followed.

I was lead to the barn where all of the horses were kept. "What are we up to?" I asked aloud as I saddled Bluemoon.

Joe wrinkled his nose, and it was with complete disparity that he said, "Scouting."

"Scouting for what?" I pressed.

"Anything useful," Phin put in with a shrug.

"Like?" I prodded.

Phin shrugged again, "Felled trees, any new places that we can set traps for the Scanrans, literally anything of any use to anybody."

I sighed, feeling as disinterested as Joe. "Great."

--------------------

TBC


	6. Disease

The scouting was just as bad as I feared

I'm so sorry that it took so long. First I was involved in Pit Orchestra, and then I was finishing up my AP classes and their finals, and then I had some personal issues to deal with…not that it matter all that much, I'm sure. Well, the next chapter is here, and I hope that you enjoy it as much as the subsequent chapters. So without further ado, here is…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

--

**Disease: ****a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment**

The scouting was just as bad as I feared.

Now I know most people would say that it wasn't as bad as they feared- it was worse, but I already thought so little of the scouting process that nothing could possibly making it a less pleasurable experience.

Unless, of course, they were trying to use a metal rod to pull my brain through my nose. Without any sort of painkillers.

And people tell me that I'm morbid.

I kept my mouth shut, of course. Complaining about it to Alanna would be similar in nature to baiting a starving carnivore, and would result in a similar outcome. So I was silent while every step that Bluemoon took seemed to rattle through my legs, up my torso and resound solely in my brain, sparking a headache. And no, the fact that I was riding poorly had nothing to do with it.

I attempted to peel back my eyelids, but only managed a bleary and somewhat vacant stare at my surroundings. I sighed once, then again, rubbing my eyes before managing to pull myself together enough to accomplish something.

For an hour Jack, Rupert and I lagged at the back of the group, spotting little due to sleepy gazes. It wasn't until midmorning, when the three of us were awake that anything of notice took place.

I think.

A large, felled oak had crashed down, woebegone trunk revealing the rot that had weakened it gradually, without an outward sign. I shook my head, while Phin noted it on him map. "Third one this morning!" he declared cheerfully.

"Yeah, maybe we can convince the cooks to make a roast for us!" Yisdel called back, rubbing his stomach. We all chortled.

A stag darted across our path, eyes rolling in his head as he gave us a startled glance. Barely ten seconds later another group, clearly out for hunting gave us a cheery wave as they darted by.

"Now that's the life," Yisdel said grumpily. "I could use some hunting."

"Cheer up, Yisdel," Joe called back with a laugh. "We're on rotation in another few days. And think about it this way- you just might get your roast after all!"

Properly teased, Yisdel rolled his eyes and fell to the back of the group, where Rupert and Jack seemed inclined to sympathy towards their friend.

"So we've got three felled trees. Is that is?" Phin wrinkled his nose. "I was hoping to have more before midmorning."

Will groaned spectacularly. "Really, Phin, only you. I swear, only you. Cause if there was more than one of you, I'd probably be inclined to sock you all."

"Thanks for the caring support," Phineas returned dryly. "Really, I needed that."

"That's me," Will answered innocently. "Always looking out for others."

"Well, warn me whenever you're planning on looking out for me," Asbul said, raising an eyebrow. "I think I'll need to make contingency plans. Just in case."

Will knew he was being baited, but took it anyways. "Just in case of what?"

Asbul's face was dead serious as he said, "Just in case your good deeds ever worked out."

Will rolled his eyes while we all laughed. "Alright, alright already." He gave a mocking bow from his saddle. "I know when I'm beaten."

"If you were any louder, every Scanran in the nation might be able to find you, and give you that beating." A new voice interrupted, sniffing loudly.

A haughty, middle-aged man that I remembered only vaguely from the previous night's meeting sniffed again. "Lady Knight Alanna asked me to bring a message to Squire Nealan of Queenscove."

"Major," Will nodded in greeting.

"I'm looking for Nealan of Queenscove," the major insisted, completely bypassing Will's salutation, and barely giving him more than a passing glance.

Yisdel, Joe and Rupert rolled their eyes, mouthing things like 'dead fish', 'old fart', and 'idiot' to one another, and coupled with gestures that questioned the man's sanity, I couldn't help but smile.

"Is Nealan of Queenscove here!" The man finally demanded, looking exceedingly cross when no one seemed inclined to answer his question.

I waved jauntily. "I'm right here, thanks." My smile was annoyed, and grew more so when the man simply sniffed again. "Yes?" I said, an edge on my voice.

"Lady Knight Alanna desires that you reinforce the magic that keeps the water that fills our well clean. She also asks that you do it sooner before later. Preferably immediately."

I refrained from saying, "Really?" in my most patronizing voice.

Believe me, if there's one thing that I'm master off, it's patronizing voices.

And to think, people say I have an uncontrollable impulse to mock authority.

I simply got another sniff, and the man raised his nose so high that Asbul said, in a low and serious voice that barely carried to my ears, "Is he giving a hawk a target with which to grab him? I suppose, since his nose hairs are long enough to be antennae which could easily signal for said hawk."

We all laughed at that, and clearly offended the man rode off, looking as though even glancing at us was beneath his dignity.

Dignity or not, Alanna would have my head if I didn't lay another set of spells on the water supply. I swung my horse around and faced the others. "Any chance one of you'd want to direct me towards the well?" I questioned.

Jack smiled, creasing his face, and nodded, "Well, actually there are three spelled areas. Which would you like to visit first?"

"There's more than one?" I groaned. I let my head fall forward and hit my chest. "This will take forever. Might as well get this over with."

"I'll join you," Will volunteered. "I'm sick of scouting." This, of course, produced more than a few jeers, as the rest responded with an automatic teasing. Will ignored them, and snagged a spare map from Phin's saddle bags, while Phin only rolled his eyes as Will's lack of preparation.

"What would you do without me?" Phin questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Probably die a horrible death," Will answered with a cheery smile.

"Will it be a worse death than if we have to suffer anymore of your good deeds?" Asbul asked, tilting his head as if he was truly curious.

Exasperated, Will flapped his hands. "I should let you stand in the stocks all day for speaking in such a manner to your Captain. Of course, thanks to my ever giving nature, I've decided not to say anything. Now, shoo, all of you, before I change my mind." Will sniffed haughtily, an eerie echo of the major's attitude.

There was half a second's pause when Rupert snorted, eyes glittering lazily. "D'you practice that in the mirror?"

Will nodded, face still and serious. "Every day. It's good practice. And I keep telling myself that the stick up my ass will do me some good some day."

"Do you now?" Rupert mused. "It's good to know. Quite good to know."

"Oh," Phin added. "Tell me if the stick actually does any good. I don't think it will, but a good soldier exhausts all avenues before conceding defeat."

Will gave the group a mocking salute and rolled his eyes before waving a hand at Jack and I. We exchanged smiles filled with wry humor. Will pulled lightly on his horse's rein, and the animal swung around in an arc, turning off the pathway into the forest itself. "Come on," Will said, a touch impatiently. "Let's get going. With three wells, we're going to be out here at least until lunch."

Both Jack and I groaned, and though I was stuck either way, Jack didn't seem to have any inclination to leave early either. My heart warmed a little, even as my headache escalated. "So how far is the first well?"

Will shrugged his shoulders as he led us away from the others. "Maybe half of an hour? Give or take. If we cross through here, according to Phin's map, the water is protected at the entrance of the cave that it disappears in to, before it becomes our well water. If we go over the hill that leads to it, instead of around it, we'll be able to make up for some lost time. The second spot is pretty much the same, and is maybe another fifteen minutes from the first. The third well, is on the other side of the fort, and it'll take us a good hour to go all the way around, and then through the forest- the area where the protection lies is in a pretty dense area of trees. We can take the horses, but it'll be some tricky footing in one or two spots because of the roots. We'll manage though, but hopefully the cooks will have saved us something." Will rubbed his stomach, while Jack nodded in agreement.

As before, Jack's voice was filled with the elongated vowels, but in the quiet and stillness of the forest, I hadn't noticed until now that his voice was also fairly soft. "I'm sure they will. Joe, at least, should remember." Jack's grin creased his face again.

"You hope," Will said with a laugh.

We were quiet for a few long moments, before Will eyed me curiously, and asked, with an innocent smile (which made me nervous), "So, do you have a girl waiting for you?"

"A-a girl?" I stammered, flushing immensely. "What brought that on?"

Jack shook his head. "Unfortunately, William is ruled by both an alarmingly large sense of curiosity and a need to sate said curiosity as immediately as possible. Oh, and he doesn't seem to have that same internal sensor that tells people when and when not to speak."

"Sounds like something Will and Alanna have in common," I agreed dryly.

Will shook a finger. "Un uh, Neal. Don't think I don't know what you're doing. Firstly, it's rude to ignore people-"

"Even if they are too nosy for their own good," Jack put in. Will gave him a nasty look and continued pointedly.

"Secondly," Will stressed, "You're avoiding my question. Do you have a girl in mind?"

_Damn_, I thought. I had hoped Will was fooled, but apparently Coram had passed his ability to see through smokescreens to his son. "Uh," I stalled, mind racing. "I'll tell you if you and Jack share too." I hoped that by including Jack I could put a stop to the ridiculous question, but Jack simply smiled serenely and gave me a nod. I glared at him, mentally directing a tart _You're no help_ towards him. Jack shrugged, clearly impervious to my plight.

Will considered it for a long moment, and I hoped he would refuse, so that I would be let off the hook too. "Okay," he agreed, and I closed my eyes, wishing I was still asleep. And I wished dearly that the headache would disappear.

"I'll go first," Will said. "I've got no one waiting. There- your turn."

"What!" I protested, outraged. "But that's not fair!"

"Sure it is," Will argued. "The question was if I had a girl either in mind or waiting. The answer is no. Tough luck, kid. Next time ask questions like that before you agree to something. Your turn."

I scowled, but nodded. "Well, I don't exactly have a girl in mind. She's a little younger than me. And we're…not exactly in a regular position, in terms of marriage prospects."

Will dropped back deliberately in order to elbow me, a large and devious grin on his face. "Is she a serving girl you're sweet on?" He pestered. I shook my head, but he continued. "Is it a young, young woman?" Carried away by his own suggestion, Will smacked me upside the head. "Pervert!"

"What? Hey!" I exclaimed, nudging my horse away. "Cut it out, Will. Besides, that's all you'll be getting out of me, so leave me and my poor head alone." To divert the attention away from me, I gestured at Jack. "Besides, our dearest friend Jack hasn't said a word as of yet. Perhaps he would like to make his contribution?"

Jack shrugged, as if he didn't care about the answer, but his blush belied his lightly voiced, "Gwen- Gwendolyn."

"Gwen?" I asked. "Gwen who?" My curiosity was piqued at the soft love that brightened Jack's eyes and hid in the corners of his smile.

Jack simply shook his head, refusing, as I did, to speak more of the matter. Will tried to cajole his friend into admitting to at least a few more tidbits, but Jack simply smiled in his most vexingly secretive manner and ignored the pair of us.

When we learned nothing further, Will and I stopped pestering Jack for information. We lapsed into silence again, and within seconds saw the underground entrance that led to the fort's well. I dismounted, walking up to the river on foot. I eyed to rocks that the river disappeared beneath, spelled for health and against poison, and sighed. Will clapped on hand to my shoulder and smiled. "Well, even the mighty start somewhere." I shoved away from his teasing, though a grin remained on my face and motioned for the two soldiers to wait as I carefully inspected the spells, trying to figure out the best way to overlay my own spells without weakening those still remaining.

That was the trick to any layered spell, of course- find the best way to interlock your spell to the previous one, creating a linked spell far stronger to the original. It didn't last forever, of course, since the spells would still fade over time, but by linking it, you wouldn't have to discard the magic already there and set a new spell.

I finally found it. Near the grass, there was a small, nearly hooked shaped area to the magic, clearly intended to be used as the linking point for whoever renewed the spells next.

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply and pulled out strands of magic, knotting them around the hook and layering it over top, paying extra attention to the symbols of health and wellness carved into the rock- and therefore, the magic. Once the layer was complete, I also left a small hook for the next mage to use. I stood, brushing my hands off, and nearly fell over as my legs, which had long since fallen asleep tingled unpleasantly, trying to return circulation to my limbs. My head pounded as well, and it felt unusually warm for the time of day. I sent a brief shot of magic down my legs, promptly restoring my circulation, and stood more steadily, though the pounding didn't recede.

"You awright?" Jack asked, brow a little furrowed. I nodded, and Will led Bluemoon over so that I could mount up again.

"All done?" Will said briskly once I was settled on the horse.

I nodded again, thankful that the headache was already fading and then asked, "How long did it take?" My mouth was a little dry, so I took a few sips from my water skin, which also helped to alleviate the headache.

Will shrugged his shoulders. "A half hour, maybe? Prob'ly a little more. Nothing to long though."

I still grimaced, stomach already grumbling. Jack was already getting a little bit of dried fruit out of his bags, and handed it over to me. "Joe's a mage," he explained by way of proxy, "And not the best at remembering to stash some food in his bags. I always carry some extra."

"Hey!" Will complained, "You let me sit here for this entire time, listening to my stomach gurgle and didn't once offer food?"

"Sorry. Last time I'd checked, I was reasonably sure that you weren't a mage renewing the health and safety spells on our water supply."

"That's not fair!" Will retorted. "I was a little busy making sure the mage renewing the health and safety spells on our water supply wasn't killed!"

"Not any busier than I was making sure the mage renewing the health and safety spells on our water supply wasn't killed," Jack said as he raised his eyebrow. "As a matter of fact, I seem to recall-"

"The mage renewing the health and safety spells on the water supply is right here," I interjected.

Will scowled. "Fiends, the pair of you! Ganging up against a poor captain who is simply in need of some nourishment!"

Unperturbed, Jack simply said, "Yes. Yes we are."

"It's no fun if you're going to agree with me!"

"No. No it's not."

Will shot Jack a nasty look.

Jack ignored him.

"How much longer?" I interrupted. It seemed as though Jack and Will could go at one another all day if necessary.

Will paused for a minute, judging the terrain and the map. "Ten minutes?" He suggested, sounding unsure.

"Something like that." Jack agreed.

I sighed a little, munching on the dried fruit, grateful for the sugar since it was giving me back some energy. "Ok. Jack, you don't happen to have any more food for later, do you?" I tried not to sound to pathetically hopeful, but from Jack's light laugh, I hadn't succeeded.

"Yes. You won't die before you have midday," Jack reassured me.

Not one to give up easily on a topic, Will chimed in, "What about if I die before midday."

Jack treated will to a steely glare. "Then I will say nice things about you at your funeral."

"Don't you mean nice lies?" I suggested blandly.

Will rolled his eyes. "Alright already! If I say I've learned my lesson, will the two of you let it be?"

Jack glanced at me, quirking a quick smile. "Of course."

We rode a little longer in silence, and when we finally reached the next well, I frowned, but gave the remaining dried fruit back to Jack and seated myself comfortably in front of the well.

Luckily, the last mage to renew the spells had also been kind enough to leave a hook, and now that I both knew where to look for it, and how to overlay my magic, it made actually reinforcing the spells much easier, and faster as well. It seemed only minutes, though when I finally stood up, Will whistled and said, "Twenty minutes. You're really fast."

"Thanks, I think. Compared to what?" I asked. I didn't make an effort to lift myself to my feet; my pounding headache had come back with a vengeance.

"The last mage that did the spells. He was out all day renewing the spells and came back so exhausted he could barely stand on his horse."

I shrugged a little, making a conscious effort not to make my dizziness worse. "I've never really thought about it this way, but I guess it makes sense. I mean, health and safety spells are close in nature to what any healer does. And since I'm pretty good at healing…" I shrugged (wincing as the twinges rebounded in my skull) as I trailed off, making sure my words had no inflection at all. I didn't need Will and Jack thinking that I my ego was larger than my skill.

Will didn't seem to care either way, but Jack gave me a far to perceptive glance before tossing me the dried fruit again. I fumbled in catching it, dropping it twice before I could manage to get a grip on it.

Will let loose a full bodied laugh at my inability to hold only the food while Jack sighed, opened the bag and carried me my water skin. I smiled thankfully, but Jack didn't seem to notice. I guess he had to deal with it often enough with Joe.

Unfortunately, it also took me two tries to mount up- the first time I managed to mount up, but fell off the other side, sending Will into hysterical laughter. Even Jack joined in, bruising my pride quite nicely.

"If you're done?" I growled. I managed to sit up and then mount up, this time staying on Bluemoon. Once on his back, I simply sagged in the saddle, breathing in deeply to steady myself. I vowed silently to practice more on charms, an area that even Alanna hadn't shown me much of. Maude and Alanna mostly focused on healing and battle magic- the sort of everyday charms that most mages dealt with seemed to have escaped their notice.

My pounding headache only eased as I ate and drank, but once I was sure I wasn't about to fall back off the horse, I nudged Bluemoon, sending the animal into the easiest walk it could manage. For most of the ride I kept my attention on not being so nauseous that I vomited. If I could've used magic to keep the nausea away I would have, but for some reason, using magic when nauseous doesn't mix very much- and unfortunate thing that I discovered when I tried to use magic to keep Alanna's sword away from my throat after her pommel had come crashing down on my head. Not only did it fail spectacularly, but I also managed the spectacular feat of throwing up twice.

I made it to the well in one piece, and nearly fell off my horse when we got there. I could feel hands easing me down, and it felt a little more than pleasant to be stretched out on the grass. After a few moments of peace, the headache receded and became barely noticeable. I sighed in relief and carefully sat up, waiting for the headache to return; it didn't, and I sighed again, more heavily.

"You alright?" Will ask, putting a heavy hand on my shoulder.

"Yes," I hastened to assure him. "I'm just not used to doing charm work."

"Does it matter?" Will looked momentarily confused.

I frowned for a second, trying to work out how to phrase what I wanted to say. "Magic is…flexible, right? Think of it as a muscle. Certain people have stronger leg muscles than others, which is similar in magic, except mages will have differences in things like how strong their charms are, or how natural of a healer they are. Does that make sense?" Will nodded, so I continued. "Well, consider this: muscles atrophy if you stop using it, right? Well, same thing with magic. It stops functioning as well as it should in that fashion. I've never done a lot of charm work. From the first day, I was basically viewed as a healer-in-training, and thus didn't have much use for anything else. Sure, I passed the basic classes, but that doesn't mean anything more than I last used my magic to work on charms…" I thought for a moment, "Five years ago? Maybe a little less."

Will nodded, looking thoughtful. "That makes sense, definitely," Will informed me.

I smiled, and then sneezed ferociously. "Someone must be talking about me." I joked.

Will smile grew mischievous, and he said, "I bet it's the girl you're sweet on."

"What! No! Will, stop being stupid!"

"I bet it's true."

"Well tough, cause I'm sure it's not."

"And I'm sure it is."

"And I think I don't care if you bicker all day like juveniles, but I'm sure that if we don't get back to the fort soon, there'll be nothing left for us." Jack snapped, looking cross.

Will and I both stopped in our tracks to stare at Jack, who stared back, chin mulishly set. "Come on Neal, just finish up so we can be done."

I didn't dare argue, so for the third and final time I sat in front of the charms and channeled my magic, linking it securely to the rest of the spells. This time it could feel it taking longer than either of the other two times. Sweat began to stream down my face and back as I struggled to keep the magic going. When I was finally done, I fell back, feeling as though I had had one to many ales to drink with my university friends the night before.

I groaned, headache and nausea back, and toppled over, onto the grass. I let the cool grass tickle my face as I breathed slowly and deeply. The roaring in my ears finally quieted, and I could hear Jack murmuring, "Sit up, and drink this."

I gulped something vile down, instantly recognizing it as a potion. I gagged a little, but once the fluid sat in my stomach the nausea left, even if the headache continued to beat an angry mallet against my head.

Jack and Will spoke hurriedly above me head, and suddenly I was being hoisted by the two of them. One of them- I'm not sure which- kept me both stable and on the horse while the other tied something around me, presumably a rope, and presumably around me and anchored to the horse.

The ride back to the fort was a bit of a blur. All I remember is finally getting back to the gate, and swaying on my horse, aching to get out of the sun when Alanna came running up, and put a hand on my forehead.

"Fever," she muttered, nimble fingers untying to ropes within seconds. I managed to focus dimly on her actions, but couldn't seem to muster enough strength to do anything on my own.

When I was untied, I dried to dismount. When Jack rushed to help me, I said, "I'm fine, just tired." However, it came out a runny mush that made no sense whatsoever.

"What?" Jack asked, brow wrinkling.

I tried to annunciate my words, but Jack shook his head. I guess I had remained just as unintelligible as the first time.

That was when the nausea hit again, and I feebly tried to pull myself away before I vomited all over both myself and Jack. Alanna must have seen me struggling, because she somehow managed to get me pulled away in time for me to first throw up everything I'd eaten that day, and then throw up stomach acid that left me throat and mouth screaming.

At that point, my mind decided it was a pretty good idea to black out for a while, in hopes of the situation being improved when I awoke.

The first time I awoke, my lips were cracked and I couldn't move.

I saw a flash of red hair, and a low voice said, "Don't worry, Neal, give me a second and I'll bring down your fever."

That's when coolness swept through my body and I fell into a much deeper sleep.

--

I woke up groggy and out of sorts, mouth filled with cotton, skin covered with dried sweat, and eyes to heavy to move. Something was pushed into my mouth, and surprised, I inhaled. The cold water surprised me, and sent me into a coughing fit.

Once my coughing was done, someone lifted me up, and the straw was put into my mouth again. This time I was expecting it, and I sipped slowly, relieved when I was allowed to lay back on the pillows.

I rubbed at my eyes, and focused on Alanna, who was there (as I had been sure she'd be) and asked in a rasping voice, "What happened?"

Alanna gave a half-hearted smile. "Influenza. Or rather, influenza with complications that we didn't catch until later." I studied her for a moment; she looked entirely exhausted.

I took a moment to smile to myself. I couldn't help but think of Kel's stoic and oft-said words. _I don't catch and sickness easily_. Even as I called her stubborn, I had to admire the sheer determination that was linked with the words.

"How long?" My voice gave out before I could utter any more words, and Alanna sighed, giving me the cup so I could drink more water.

"Four days. Nasty thing. If you were feeling sick, why didn't you say something?" Alanna's voice was raised a little at the end, eyes narrowing.

"But I didn't," I protested weakly. "It wasn't until I renewed the charms-"

"Ah," Alanna sighed. "That makes sense. Since your body had to divert all it's attention away from fighting the illness in order to focus on the magic," she shrugged. "Thank the Goddess we found it in time though. If we hadn't, things could have been much worse. It was already settling into your lungs."

I winced. Any disease that made it's way to the lungs rarely ended well if there was no healer to be had.

I closed my eyes for a minute, and when Alanna saw me fighting to open them again, she said, "Just rest. Getting rid of it took a lot out of us both. You'll need to rest. Diseases are harder to recover from than anything, even a broken bone."

I frowned, and attempted to say, "I know that," but once more my words had been degraded into mush.

Nonetheless, I could hear the smile in her voice. "Sleep, Neal. We can talk more when you wake up."

So as not to defy my knight-mistress, I fell once more into a deep and dreamless sleep.

--

TBC


	7. Care

Something about my sickness had disturbed Alanna

Bwahaha! Be afraid, be very afraid…of my senioritis. Yes, I should be doing work, but no, I'm not. So I suppose I should say 'be happy' because it means that you're getting a new chapter of The Lady Knight's Squire.

Well, I _hope_ it makes you happy, at least. So here it comes, the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Care:**** a state of mind in which one is troubled; worry, anxiety, or concern, cause for protection, charge, to make provision or look out for**

Something about my sickness had disturbed Alanna.

It was subtle, of course; almost a month had passed before the clues added up to anything that really made sense. Even then, I couldn't decipher a reason as to why. I was healed, had suffered no harm since (except for that sprained wrist), and hadn't seen the Scanran's in even a minor skirmish thus far.

However, that didn't stop Alanna from coddling me in the most unobtrusive manner possible.

It was little things- being there first one to ask if I was alright when dueling with her (and taken down, per usual), or making sure I packed extra provisions for something as simple as an all day hunting trip. It was a careful stare for no reason at all, and a thin-lipped glare when she thought I'd stretched myself too far (though that one might be true, coddling or not).

And despite the fact that as the month reached its end and the chill northern winds swept in, Alanna's smothering stayed subtle, it began to irritate me.

Irritation doesn't mean that I was willing to say anything about it. Hell, it was probable that I was over thinking the matter, as Kel had so often assured me was the case. Yet nor could I simply ignore matters as they stood. More than once I opened my mouth, ready to question her, and then shut it again, not quite daring to turn suspicions into a voiced accusation.

For the most part, Alanna seemed no more aware of it than I was. At least, she didn't respond to my veiled probing in a manner that would dictate she did know what she was doing. Then again, she might be a very, very good liar.

Either way, I chafed under her ministrations, trying carefully not to let it show. Eventually, though, each one of my friends came up individually, asking about it. I gave the best answer I could- _No, I didn't know why. Yes, it was annoying. No, of course I won't say anything yet! I like my head attached, thanks. Even _I _wouldn't mention anything. What's that look for? Shut up, and take things seriously for a moment! What am I supposed to do?_

That was the crux of it, of course. What _was _I supposed to do. It's one thing to insult the Stump, king of stiff-necked idiots. It was another thing entirely to insult Alanna, someone who I respected, and who held my life entirely in her hands for about the next four years. Try as I might, I couldn't seem to help sheathing my suspicions in anything other that then cool insults. In my defense, an eighteen year old squire, who choose the life of a knight- and not just because he was the eldest son- should know the ramifications of his choice.

Well, most of them, anyways.

I found myself, yet again, hovering in front of Alanna's door, torn between knocking and the inevitable confrontation or simply walking away, happy to bury my head a little longer in the sand. I reared back, startled, when Alanna opened the door from behind my fisted hand. "Neal." She stated. Her lack of continuation made the statement into a question, and I hurried to answer it.

"Just came to tell you that they're serving dinner now."

"Hm. Okay. Give me a moment," Alanna said, shutting the door firmly in my face.

She came back out in a few moments, having changed into fresh breeches and tying her hair back with a band. A jacket was slung over her shoulders. Pearls gleamed in the semi-dark, and Alanna's quick smile practically lit the narrow hallway. "Ready."

I sighed, and followed her obediently as she made her way out. The setting sun turned the snowfall a myriad of colors, while Alanna and I crunched our way across the yard. Our breath misted in front of out faces, and as I looked out past the yard I could see it snowing heavily in the distance. A good foot had already managed to collect inside the fort, despite the constant tread of boots over it's surface. It had been snowing all day, and there must have been huge drifts beyond the fort's wall.

Alanna sighed. "I hate the cold and snow," she said in a mournful tone. She flexed her hands, and for the first time I noticed that she had slipped on gloves to cover and warm her scarred hands while I wasn't looking. "It sinks into your bones, and makes your teeth chatter and your nose will freeze to the point you think it should fall off. I hate it. It makes me miserable."

"Tell me how you really feel," I jibbed, raising one brow, and quirking half a smile.

Alanna loosed a heavy sigh at my comment, but didn't deign to answer it. Instead, she stalked ahead, forcing even my long legs to keep up.

The wind shifted, and the snow began to fall with twice the force, easily burying our footsteps within minutes. We both paused, eyeing the disappearing footsteps with a certain amount of rancor. That was about when Will slammed into me, a force that nearly drove me into a pile of snow. His eyes were frantic as he babbled something about snow, and Rupert, Jack and Asbul.

"Calm down!" Alanna snapped. "Tell us exactly what happened."

Will took a deep, steadying breath. "Early this morning, Rupert, Jack, and Asbul went out to Wilkburough. It's the largest of the local towns, about half a day's ride away, and it's the best place to get supplies because it won't be to much of a burden for them to help supply us. They went because we needed more grain supplies," Will's voice, though deceptively calm thus far, began to break. "They were supposed to be back three hours ago, but in this snow…" Will trailed off, looking a little hopeless. "They're getting together a search party, and I was hoping-"

"Of course we're joining." Alanna agreed flatly. "Let me just got and get my things. I'll meet you at the stable. Please saddle Darkmoon."

"I'm going to stop at the mess hall first." I paused at their aghast faces. "Relax! I'm going to pick up food, so when we find them, they're not cold, lost, _and _hungry."

Will's face relaxed as he thanked me profusely, and ran off. I assumed he was going to saddle his own horse.

"What's this 'we' you're talking about?" Alanna asked sharply, lips thinly set. "_I'm _going out, and you are going to stay here and tell me if they come in while we're gone. That way I can also tell you if we find them, so you can make sure that everything is ready for our arrival."

"No," I said, voice as light and friendly as possible, while anger heated my face. "I'm going out with you, because there are plenty of other mages that can contact you, or vice versa."

"But none as strong as you." She retorted.

"It doesn't matter." I said firmly. "I'm coming."

Alanna's eyes flashed. "You are not! You are needed here more."

I took a step forward. "I am not needed here! Do you really think that I would be of more use here-" I waved a hand "- than out there, looking for them?" I cried back, eyes practically sparking. "Do you really think that I would leave friends out in the snow in the middle of a budding blizzard? Mithros, do you think that anyone could do that?"

"By the Goddess, you will listen to me! You are needed, _here_, Nealan! And here is where you will be!"

"Here is where I will not be!" I snarled back. "I don't care what happens, I refuse to sit idle and let others look for them!"

"But you are helping!" Alanna shot back. "And you're wasting time if you delay this any further."

I lowered my voice. "I don't care what you say. I'm going. That's final."

Alanna bared her teeth in a snarl. "And I say you're going over my dead body. I am not going to send you out in a blizzard if you are going to be more useful here."

"But I won't be useful here!" I nearly shouted back. "I will be out there, making sure my friends are fine!" My temper had snapped, and I simply walked away from Alanna, turning towards the mess hall.

So I totally missed the flash of Alanna's anger and the way her lips were pressed into an extra thin line.

By the time I had made my way through the drifts of snow that were reaching ever higher to the stable, Bluemoon was gone.

So was Darkmoon, Will's horse, Salt (don't ask) and most of the others- search party, I assumed. Of course, this was a dimly recognized fact considering my gaze was flooded with a red haze. I snarled out more than a few choice words. Even more than Kel, Alanna had a way of pushing my buttons that made me want to strangle her.

I'm sure her removing Bluemoon was supposed to stop me, but instead, I simply took a random horse, put a tack on it, and was out in the snow. I steadfastly refused to be taken out of the picture over a mere horse, as much as I like Bluemoon.

As soon as I had ridden the horse out into the cold night, I was glad I had stopped in my room to bundle up. The snowflakes were already gathering on the tack, resting on my nose and cascading over the brim of my hat, which was pulled down snugly over my ears.

Even though the snow was falling fast, I could still see the hoof prints where the parties had separated into five main groups. My grip on the reins tightened a little as I wondered what type of forced coalition Alanna had used to get everyone out of the fort so fast.

My eyes narrowed, but I continued on. My horse snorted a little as I thought for a few moments on what path to take. Logic told me there was a slim chance that Rupert, Jack and Absul were still on the main path between the fort and Wilkburough. Instinct told me they were probably very much on the main path, and had probably holed up with some wood in a pseudo-igloo since mid-afternoon, when the snow had really started to come down.

Who am I to argue with instinct?

And so I spent two hours trudging through the snow, carefully checking my progress against a map (that I may or may not have stolen) and the stars.

Before the first hour, the horse I'd borrowed (with every intention of returning!) was breathing hard from breaking through the drifts. I could hardly blame the animal, so I slipped from its back and walked in front for a little while, breaking the ground myself. A horse was no good if it was too exhausted to be of any use later.

Of course, the fact that the snow lying on the main road wasn't broken was a little reassuring. It meant that I wasn't covering anyone else's footsteps in the search. A close secondary component of my reassurance was the fact that it meant there was little chance I'd run into Alanna by accident.

After a mere fifteen minutes of slogging through the frozen forest had me sweating heavily, and breathing even harder. Seeing as the horse was recovered and breathing at a normal rate, I stopped the creature again in order to mount up.

On the horse's back, I managed to recover my breath slowly. I continuously scanned my surroundings for any sign, though I ignored the snow. The snow would have long since covered any remaining tracks.

If I hadn't been paying a level of near-obsessive attention to the surroundings, I would have missed it. 'It' was the wavering wisp of smoke that disappeared to perfectly in the snow that it took me several long moments of staring before I even realized what I was seeing. Even considering how hard it had been snowing, a drift of that size was simply impossible.

"Hello!" I called out. The thready breath of snow meeting fallen snow answered my shout. I tried calling out again, louder this time. Still nothing. I almost thought that I had been seeing things, when a face poked it's way up about ten yards to my right.

"So it's about time," Rupert said, half joking, half in genuine irritation. "We're freezing down here!"

"Down where?" I asked stupidly.

Even though Rupert didn't have a visible hand with which to point out the obvious, the roll of his eyes was clear enough. "Just as everyone else, Jack, Asbul and I have been taught basic survival skills. Once we weren't sure where the road was anymore, we stopped for the night," he said slowly.

"Igloo!" I said. Apparently I was sticking to monosyllables. I don't know- I had somehow gotten a picture at some point of my search that my friends were definitely in trouble, and in dire need of being saved.

Nasty thing, that imagination.

As Kel has informed me more than once.

"Hello?" Rupert frowned as another head burrowed out in the snow. Jack's smile flashed.

"It's a good thing you aren't down here with us," Jack said conversationally. "Our horses are starting to smell. It's not that much fun, I must say, to build a large igloo, gather firewood, and keep the horses from darting off. We've got some bruises from trying though, and they've settled down now."

"That's nice," was all I could think to say. I slid off my borrowed horse and stumbled in the snow.

"You're welcome to come in," Jack said. "We don't have any food, but it's not so cold down here that we'll freeze tonight, not with the horses' warmth. We'll have to wait out the snow."

"Um, I just came directly from the fort. You're on the main path." From the looks of things, my brain was functioning again.

Jack must have elbowed Rupert, because the first scowled and the other sighed as Jack said, "I told you we were on the right path!"

"Forgive me for wanting to stay alive for as long as possible," Rupert shot back.

I stalked over. "Both of you, move it. I am cold, increasingly wet from the snow, and I have food." I held up a saddlebags, and the two faces disappeared.

"Just crawl in!" I heard one of them should dimly. Following their instructions, I found myself in a somewhat narrow entrance to a surprisingly large igloo-type object. The three horses were kneeling down on one side, looking a little uncomfortable, but the ceiling was obviously not going to allow for standing room. Absul was tending to a fire that was crackling merrily in the center of the room.

While I entered, he sneezed three times in a row, and said, in a distinctly muffled voice, "I despise the cold! It's awful! It's miserable! It's a device for the godforsaken!" He coughed. "Why did I ever leave the desert? I must have lost my mind! Why in the world would anyone want to leave in this part of the world! It's a place that only inflicts pain!"

There was a beat of silence as Asbul lowered his ranting to a more moderate tone. Jack turned to face me. "Yeah, Asbul gets like this the first snow of every year. Then he's fine." Jack shrugged. "It's annoying, but it's ok if you can tune things out easily."

Speaking of tuning out…Alanna is certainly someone you can't tune out. Of course, this reminded me of one very important face: "Everyone is looking for you!" I informed them.

"Of course they are!" Rupert looks as miserable as Asbul to be out in the cold. "We've missed our scheduled return by, what, three hours? Four? And it's snowing- for all they knew we were dying a slow death out here. We're not, of course, but that's clearly besides the point."

"Yes, I said patiently, "But I just broke a path on the way here. We can use that to go back."

"Oh really?" Rupert responded, a hint of a sneer in his voice. "So you're saying that you've found a way to keep the snow out of the path you broke, and that even if it is covered, you can navigate by a cloudy sky?"

"The sky isn't cloudy!" I insisted. "How do you think I made sure I was on the right path?"

Jack sighed, ganging up against me. "Even if it was clear for a little while then, it's definitely not clear now. It's snowing heavily," he finished as if that explained all.

Momentarily defeated, I tried to rally. "But we've got to do something. Everyone is looking for us."

I am treated to silence. Jack finally snorts, breaking into a grin. "Okay, we're not to happy about the waiting-and-not-doing-anything part either, but, better safe than sorry. Of course, now that you're here, I will be able to stop threatening Rupert and Asbul bodily harm."

"Why were you threatening them?"

"You've been here for four minutes and I could tell you were ready to smack Rupert and Asbul. I've been here for about four hours." I nodded appreciatively.

Rupert stuck out his tongue at Jack. "We are right here, you know."

"Of course," Jack said primly. "That's why I said it."

Asbul took the break in the conversation to throw more wood on the fire and continue his moaning in a louder voice. "It's cold and wet and wet and cold and if _it doesn't stop snowing, I'm going to do something drastic_!" He swore, looking none to happy. Rupert didn't even answer, simply smacked Asbul upside the head.

Asbul's only response was to sneeze again, and continue complaining.

"Four hours, Neal. Four hours," Jack told me with a near crazy gleam in his eye.

"Okay…" I trailed off awkwardly.

"So," Jack said, returning to his normal self. "Until we've got some real rescuers arriving, we're stuck here."

"What?" I blinked, offended. "Are you calling me a fake rescuer?"

"Of course. What kind of real rescuer rides around without another person in a blizzard, hm? Someone insane is the only answer I can presume to give."

"I'm not insane." I argue back.

"Okay, then why are you here? You know as well as I do that the first lesson in survival is 'Try not to put yourself in a situation where you're trying to survive alone'. Even if the other person is injured, that is usually the incentive needed to keep from despair and pain of your own."

I stared at him.

He shrugged. "I read the manual."

"So have I, but…"

Jack blinks at me owlishly from across the fire. "So what sort of extenuating circumstances are we talking?"

"Extenuating circumstances?" I asked, pretending to be shocked. Maybe if I pretend I have no clue what he's talking about, he'll let it go.

His next look, however, says 'Don't' be dumb, and don't think that I'm dumb'. "Yes," he continues as if I've said nothing. "Because otherwise it would be you and about five others, and there would be no way, even in the Realms of the Gods that the snow could have covered your tracks." I feel obligated at this point to either defend myself, or give into the truth. Jack doesn't give me the opportunity, instead continuing to speak. "So, of course, there's got to be a reason why you're out here, all by your lonesome."

I winced. There was no way out of it. "I may have sort of disobeyed Alanna's direct command."

"Direct command to do what?"

"Sit at the fort and wait for news. Or, of course, tell her if you got in to the fort before the search parties came back. I argued that I had a right to be out here, looking for you, because you are my friends. She said no. I said yes. It quickly devolved from there."

Jack let out a belly laugh. "You're…probably the…first…to…stand…up against…Alanna…in years!" He managed to say between laughs.

I smiled, a little thinly. The castle has a grapevine like none other, and I had known for years about this little story: "I think the last person to stand up to her was the _King_, Jack. When Kel wanted to become a knight, the King refused to agree with Alanna that Kel didn't need a probationary period. Of course, now _everyone _know that their personal relations are still a little strained- though a lot better. And I'm not a King…" Realization sunk in and sat as a lump of ice in my belly. "Mithros, she's going to dismembers me. She's going to chop me into little pieces and leave me for the crows! I am dead, dead, dead, dead, _dead_!"

"Yes," Rupert agreed. "You are."

I shot him a nasty look. "Thanks for all the loyal support."

"Hey, if it's between you and the King's Champion, who did you think that I was going to pick?"

I had to admit he had a point. If I had a choice, I probably wouldn't side with the poor sap that had gotten Alanna angry. In fact, I would take special care not to be any where near the explosion. Of course, being the poor sap was a completely different thing.

"Come on," I wheedled to Jack and Rupert. Asbul was still huddled in his clothing, as near to the warmth as he could be without actually setting his clothes afire. "Just help me not get killed."

Rupert and Jack looked at each other, and then said in unison, "Not on your life."

I didn't press them; it wouldn't do any good, and Alanna's temper was not exactly known to be a controlled thing. They could get caught in the crossfire. "Fine," I groaned. "Just give me a nice funeral, okay? Flowers, mourning faces, all of it."

"As a dying man's last request, I'm sure that we can acquiesce," Jack told me solemnly.

"Well thank Mithros for that," I said sarcastically.

"I hope you are thanking Mithros for being alive right now, and skinned, as I would so dearly like to do to you at this point," Alanna voice called from the entrance of the igloo.

Immediately, the blood drained from everyone's face except Asbul's.

"How much did she hear?" I hissed at Jack. He shrugged eyes wide.

"Are you going to go out and see her?" Rupert muttered back, eyeing the entranceway with a fair amount of trepidation.

"Why, do you think she'll come in?" Jack and Rupert treated me to equally deadpanned looks.

"Right, right," I murmured. "Give me a sec, Alanna I'll be right out." I said in a louder voice.

"Good!" She called back. "It would be a shame to get blood all over your friends."

Gulp.

Jack mouthed, 'I'm sorry,' in my direction, while Rupert only shook his head.

"Neal!" There was a hint of warning in Alanna's strident voice.

I stood carefully, still stooped under the low roof of the crude snow-hut. "Coming!" I said. I made my way carefully around everyone and crawled out the entrance, and was greeted with the sight of my short mistress. Despite her stature, she somehow managed to make it feel as though I were the shorter one.

Call it what you want- Kel often named it 'having trouble with authority'- but unless forced to respect someone, I simply won't. The Stump is a prime example. For people I do respect, I listen to them. Of course, that won't matter if I simply say the first thing out of my mouth in a situation. Like now: "If you are going to skin me alive, you might as well get started."

Alanna's mouth twitched a little, but her voice was still angry as she said, "As I recall, I told you strictly to stay at the fort. And yet, as I can see, you have disobeyed that order in every fashion imaginable."

My mouth was still busy ignoring my brain, and the first were out of my mouth were, "I'm pretty sure that there is only one was to disobey an order. I thought it was pretty cut and dry on that front. Before you skin me though, I'd really like to know why you were _coddling _me."

I'm not sure who was more surprised at the statement, Alanna or me.

There was a moment of pause, when we stared at one another, barely even breathing. Neither of us dared look away.

Stalemate.

Then Alanna blinked and relaxed, a genuine, if rueful, smile lighting her face. "Alright," she admitted, "I deserved that."

There was another moment of pause when I tried to work out what she was saying.

"Wait, what?" Whatever I had expected, that comment had come out of left field and without a resounding- if inaudible- clang, confused me more than ever.

"I deserved that," Alanna annunciated again, and the rueful smile became a touch more wry. "You should savor this. I don't bother to admit I'm wrong to a lot of people."

"Umm, thank you?"

Alanna laughed, sounding remarkably male- her laugh was full, unlike the little tittering that most court ladies limited themselves to. I found myself grinning in response, as automatic as when one of my friends laughed.

"So are you going to tell me why you were coddling me?" I asked, unwilling to let go of my question.

Alanna's smile stilled and then faded, and she abruptly looked her age. "When you become a parent, when you realize that you have been given the duty to take care of this baby, to raise them properly, to know right and wrong, it's a lot to take in at once. You get acclimated, of course, but the wonder never really ceases." She sighed. "And now, for the first time, I'm taking care of someone _else's _child. All that responsibility, transferred to me. I'm supposed to keep you safe, make sure that you learn well." Her smile was thin, her face worn. "It's completely different from dealing with your own child. When you got sick, it was…" she shook her head. "It was very, very touch-and-go. It's one thing to protect people. It's what I do for a living," her smile had a little more life to it now. "But this, you…I'm afraid of doing it wrong."

And there was nothing I could say to that. Looking at it from her point of view, the reaction seemed woefully obvious. Feeling a little dense for having needed it explained to me, I smiled. "It's okay. That makes sense."

"I'm glad you agree," Alanna informed me. "Okay, Jack, Rupert, Asbul! You can stop listening now, and come on out. The snow's stopped, so we should be able to get back to the fort without a problem now."

There were some muttered complaints in the general direction of their igloo. Rupert stuck his head out. "So we're permitted to get out of this cold-ass igloo and back into out bunks? Thank Mithros. If you two didn't kiss and make up soon, I was going to tie you to the horses and drag you back."

Rupert's face vanished, and Jack's face appeared in its place. "Don't mind him. I think the cold and Asbul have finally gotten to him. And me, for that matter. So if you could help us demolish this little building of ours, it would be greatly appreciated. I don't think that we're going to get the horses out otherwise."

Alanna sighed, but trudged through the snow towards the makeshift shelter. Jack, Rupert, and Asbul clambered out awkwardly, and once they were free, Alanna cupped a small flame in her hands, and indicated that I should do the same. We both held it against the snow, melting it far faster than what we could have done with just our hands.

The horses whinnied happily once they were free, and stood in order to nuzzle their owners. Jack was the only one to return the affection. Asbul simply clambered onto his horse and sat in the saddle, looking even more miserable, if that was possible. Rupert wasn't much better. Jack was the last one to mount up. I doused the fire, while Alanna brought Darkmoon and my borrowed horse over. Once we were all seated and ready to go, Alanna took the lead back to the fort.

The trip was predominately a silent one. Everyone was cold, wet, and tired. Our welcome at the fort, however, was warm.

Joe, Will, and the rest of the gang were waiting anxiously above the main gate, scanning the horizon for the slightest sign that their friends would be returning. As soon as they saw, us, several shouts of joy were given, and we could hear the pounding of their boots on the causeways even from out in the forest.

The gate was open in minutes, awaiting our return, though Joe in particular couldn't wait. As soon was he was able, Joe pulled his younger brother from the saddle and hugged him as tightly as he could. Jack 'oofed' at the impact, but returned the hug with at least as much fervor.

Rupert and Asbul were granted the same treatment, albeit to a slightly less intense degree. We were all ushered inside, given cups of piping hot tea in order to warm our fingers and bellies, checked over by at least two healers (even me, though I wasn't the one lost, and no matter what I said, they refused to be deterred by my resistance. Alanna simply laughed).

Once everyone had calmed down a bit, and the fervent thanks to both Alanna and I had died down, my knight-mistress took me aside.

"In all of the commotion, I never got a chance to discuss with you the fact that I just got a letter from Coram this morning, inviting us to stay with him for about a week, before the snows really set in and we can't go anywhere."

"We're…leaving?" I questioned. I hadn't meant to sound so surprised, but I did.

"Yes, unless you want to be snowed into this fort all winter," Alanna told me, raising an eyebrow.

"No, no, it's not that. I'm just surprised, is all."

Alanna shrugged. "Well, if we're going to avoid the snows, we're going to have to leave in a few days. I would recommend packing your things and saying your goodbye's."

I must have looked mournful at that, because Alanna patted me on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Neal. If I've learned one thing it's that people rarely disappear completely from your life, even if it's years before you see them again."

I smiled a little at that. "So, Trebond."

"Yes, Trebond. And if you're _really _good, I'll even give you a tour around the place myself."

"Oooh!" I said, waggling my fingers. "Don't I feel special."

Alanna thwacked my upside the head. "Don't get to full of yourself, Neal. I might have to bring you down a notch. Or ten."

I rolled my eyes. "Alright. It looks like we're off to Trebond."

* * *

TBC


	8. Justice

I feel obligated to begin with this: an abject apology. No, really, I am sorry (I promise)! I haven't updated not because I lost interest, or because I don't like you all (I love you, I swear), but because back in May my computer crashed. Kaput, boom, and just like that it was gone. Sad, I know, but I spent the intervening months working full time, with hardly any access to a computer, and trying to get my stuff together for college. So yes, while I am sorry, I hope you will forgive me!

So I'm back in action, at college, and ready to write more of the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

--

**Justice: Rightfulness or lawfulness, often of a moral; equal treatment or dealings**

Winter chased us across the landscape, seeping into our skin the longer we were out in the cold. Luckily, it didn't take to long, and we were inside the walls of Trebond before to long. It was Coram himself that welcomed us as the gates, his weathered face creasing as he let out a string of words more suited to a guard than a lord, though his gruff words were kind in their own way. We were welcomed out of the cold, for which Alanna was extremely grateful. I was grateful too, of course, but more for the fact that it stopped Alanna's bitter complaints than anything else.

It was almost a surprise, how much Alanna hated the cold. She's hardly what you'd call stoic, but the first thing she did upon reaching our campsite each night was build a roaring fire and proceed to hunch in front of it (while I did everything else, I might add).

So it was a relief, to finally arrive at Fief Trebond. Three small children, who I recognized by Will's description as George, Annalise and Marianne. Marianna, the youngest, was little more than an excited ball of clothing, barely able to waddle along, while Annalise tried to tug her younger sister along. "Auntie 'Lana! Auntie 'Lana!" they screamed excitedly, wriggling with excitement. Alana laughed and swept them up in a hug, while Coram shook my hand seriously.

Rispah shoved him aside and wrapped me in a hug. "How are you doing?" She said, face flushed with winter cheer. "Please, come inside! Alanna, dear, I know how you hate to be out in this sort of weather." She began to lead us inside, when she realized that her children were still attached to Alanna. "Sorry, dear, they simply insisted that they needed to be outside to wait for you." She spared a mock stern look for the extra appendages hanging onto Alanna's legs, "However, I think they've decided that you are their new plaything. Come on, George, Mari, Anna, please get off."

Alanna shook her head ruefully, and Coram motioned for guards to come and take care of our horses and bags. "It's alright," Alanna told Rispah. "It's been a long time since I've been able to do this with my own children. They grow up so fast," she finished, a touch wistfully.

"Now you've done it," Rispah said seriously. "They will never, ever leave you alone from now on."

Coram shook his head, as rueful as Alanna. "I'm afraid she's right," he interjected. "But come. I am sure that you are hungry, and some hot food should send you well on your way to sleep."

"Oh!" Alanna paused. "Please, I forgot to introduce Squire Nealan of Queenscove."

Rispah shook her head at Alanna's formalities. "Dear, you've spoken of nothing but having a squire for your last five letters. You should only expect that we know him nearly as well as you do."

Coram grunted. "It's true, you know." He thumped me on my back, while his cragged face broke into a grin. "And I bet you don't hear it nearly often enough from our lady knight, but she thinks that you are coming along excellently." I couldn't help flushing at Coram's words. It's true, Alanna is more than sparing with praise, but that meant that earning it was that much better.

"Thank you, sir."

"Now see what you've done, Coram?" Alanna teased. "Tomorrow, I'm going to have to take his ego back down to normal proportions."

"Argh!" I groaned. "Coram, now you've done it! Leave some gardenia incense at Mithros's temple. It's the least you can do for causing my death."

"What if I feed you a truly excellent meal?" Coram suggested. I have to admit to being swayed by the offer after days of nothing but cold meals for days.

"Well," I began hesitantly. "I'm not sure…" it was at about this point that a wave of smells from the main hall swept over me. I began to salivate at the delicious smells, stomach grumbling. Coram simply shook his head.

"We've got an excellent cook."

And an excellent cook they had- I was more inclined to roll away from the table then walk, stomach taut as a drum. While I left for bed, Alanna and Coram stayed up to talk, while Rispah followed me with the children, who had joined us.

"Good night, Neal! Good night! Sleep tight! And the bed bugs! Don't let the bed bugs bite!" George shouted cheerfully towards me when we parted ways at the top of the main staircase. Rispah shushed him, sending me an apologetic glance over the sleepy heads of her daughters.

I smiled back, and gave a little wave. I wondered briefly if my elder brothers had ever done that for me- tucked me into bed, wished me a good night. I know they played with me, but by the time I could form real memories of them, they were squires, and figures that rarely entered my life, and far to old to mind a younger sibling.

The thoughts of my brothers had me heading back down the stairs. I knew that a shrine had to be here somewhere. I wandered around the halls for a few moments, looking in vain for the shrine when I happened up a young serving maid. I greeted her, asking for directions, and was surprised when she volunteered to lead me to the shrine before she left for the village once more.

I tried to convince her that directions would be fine, she insisted, saying that it was no problem. Relenting, I followed her quiet skirts down a hallway into a medium sized room, clearly open to all the members of Trebond, a touch that I thought particularly nice. She swept a small curtsy and left.

The shrine was a quiet place, since the majority of the servants were already gone, back to the village that surrounded the main building of Trebond. It wasn't a fancy affair either. Granite sparkled in the dim glow of the fire and the candles in the room. There was little gold, and what gold was present was mostly in the form of the idols for the three main gods: the Black God, Mithros and the Goddess.

Incense and small splints of wood were hung near the doorway, readily available for anyone desiring to leave an offering. I smiled at the light, yet spicy scent of the incense- it was the scent of the gardenia flower. It's my mother's favorite scent, and I pulled a few sticks out, one for each member of my family.

Those for my dead brothers were set smoking in front of the Black God's statue, my mothers in front of the Goddess, and the remaining members of my family in front of Mithros. I stepped back, clean scent of the incense filling the room. Wisps of smoke rose up, curling against the ceiling and disappearing into the dim light.

I clasped my hands together. "Mithros, Goddess and Black God, please keep my family safe, and guard those who are already in the peaceful realms. Keep my friends, and my mentors under your wing, and grant them peaceful deaths. So mote it be," I let my hands fall, words fading, allowing silence to return to the room. I turned away, and my steps were oddly quiet as I returned to my room.

The only sound in the room was my breathing as I stripped out of my clothing, warming my toes in front of a fire that was kindly made to ward off the chill. Shivering, naked in front of the fire, I pulled a little heat from the fire and wrapped it around my bones, pulling on my nightclothes and slipping under the heavy covers. While I waited for the sheets to warm up, I was grateful for the magic that kept me warm.

I thought that I would fall asleep easily, but to my surprise, I couldn't quite manage to slip into dreams. So I lay under the covers, on the cusp of sleep and musing in a directionless, casual manner. I wondered what Kel was up to. Although I hadn't really expected her to have time to return my letters, I had hoped to hear some word of what she had been up to, but it seemed that she was never close enough for word to filter to our ears. I wondered how my friends among the pages were faring, along with Cleon and the others, my teachers at the palace.

I don't know when I fell asleep; I slipped in so gradually that I never noticed. If I dreamed, I didn't remember when I woke up. It was bright when I awoke, an unusual occurrence. I opened my eyes blearily, wondering why I was up so late. The reason was outside my window; the first real, heavy snowfall of the year had done it's magic last night, and at least two and a half feet awaited us outside. Considering that no doors could be opened from the inside, we were temporarily stuck until someone from the village could come to help.

Once dressed, I could smell the bacon cooking. Downstairs, it was only the family in dining room, Rispah cheerfully serving everyone some bacon, eggs, tomatoes and leftover bread. "So nice of you to join us!" Rispah teased. "We didn't want to wake you. This only happens a few times a year, so I figured you could use the sleep. I'm afraid that the builders of this place didn't want Scanrans to open to door one night while he was sleeping, so they can't be opened from the outside."

I shrugged. "I'll take whatever extra sleep I can manage," I admitted.

Alanna snorted. "Well, don't get to used to it. We'll be going to the village this afternoon to make sure no one had come down with any major sicknesses in this cold. This morning I'll test you on your herbs, and when we're done that, we'll help Rispah brew some more potions for later this winter, and replenish whatever she's got on hand."

"Replenish?" I asked curiously as I created an egg and tomato sandwich.

Alanna sighed. "That's right, we never got around to covering that while we were still at Pirate's Swoop, did we?" I mutely shook my head, mouth full. "So much to learn, and so little time." I wouldn't dream of arguing; she was completely and utterly right.

I sighed around yet another mouthful of food. George perked up, and said, "I come! I'm gonna help! We'll have fun, right Neal?" George's grin was wide and bright.

"Huh?" I said intelligibly.

Rispah shook his head. "No, darling that's not a good idea. It won't be very interesting. We'll be learning about herbs."

Instead of discouraging him, it seemed to make George more interested. "I will learn." He insisted stubbornly. Rispah looked to Alanna for help.

My mentor shrugged. "It's not a bad skill to learn, all things considered. It could come in handy."

Rispah shrugged. "If you're willing to take care of him…" she trailed off expectantly.

Alanna fixed one steely eye on George. "You _will_ listen to me, won't you?" George gulped, but nodded. Alanna pursed her lips, considering. "Alright, but if you disobey me, you're going back to your mother."

George was not going to be put off, and grinned at her acceptance. Without waiting to be excused, he darted away from the table. "I guess that's our cue," I said, finishing the last bites of my meal. "Where are we going for this test?"

Alana paused, chewing her bacon thoughtfully. She swallowed, then turned to Rispah. "I'm not sure. What do you recommend?"

"There is a small room near the kitchen. If we start a fire in there now, it should warm up fairly quickly."

Alanna nodded. "That's good. I have to get the herbs from my packs. Do you have anything fresh?"

Coram nodded, and spoke for the first time, "Yes, we should have plenty in the kitchen, both fresh, and some other herbs and spices that are already dried.

"That's good," Alanna agreed. "I don't have that much in my packs." She turned to me. "Neal, bring down my pack, alright? Coram, if you could show me where these herbs are, I would greatly appreciate it."

Coram nodded. "Of course, Alanna. I would be happy to show you."

"I suppose that leaves me with Mari and Anna," Rispah finished, standing. "Alright, you two. Can you help Mommy carry the dishes into the kitchen? You've got to be careful, though."

Marianna looked nervous, but agreed, while Annalise, the more fearless of the two was already reaching for the plates. Rispah saved some of her dishes from shattering, taking them into kitchen while her daughters followed her.

I left the table, heading up towards Alanna's room. Inside, I easily spotted the small bag that carried her herbs. Carrying it back downstairs into the kitchen, I was surprised to know that Rispah was right; the room off the kitchen heated surprisingly fast, despite the winter chill that lingered in most other rooms.

George followed me into the room, feet pattering excitedly. "Neal, are those the herbs? Are we going to look at them? Do you already know what they are?"

Taken aback, I laughed shortly. "Ummm…yes, those are the herbs. And I should think that we are going to look at them, unless you can see through this pack, and I can only hope that I remember what all of them are, or Alanna-"

"Or Alanna will do what?" The person in question poked her head around the corner and raised a red-gold eyebrow.

George and I gaped, but couldn't quite find a good answer that would save my head. "Yeah," Alanna said. "That's what I thought."

She entered the room, hands full of both dried and fresh herbs to test me with. "Are you ready, squire mine?" A familiar wicked smile lit up her face.

"Let's find out," I suggested instead.

"Fine."

She brought out the first herb and set it on the small table in the middle of the room. "Oregano," I reported promptly.

"What are some of it's properties?"

"It helps to preserve food against spoilage, if brewed with water is helpful in relieving coughs, though it is far more effective for children that adults. Upset stomachs, fevers, indigestion can also be relieved. If ground properly, with the addition of a few other herbs, it can be used as an antiseptic, for things like sewing up wounds. Oh, and oregano is also very good for aiding a restful night's sleep."

Alanna smiled. "Now, you're up to a good start. Let's see if we can keep this going, right? What herb is this?" She pulled out an herb, this one fresh.

It took me a moment to recognize it as a fresh herb, and it was some hesitation that I reported, "Agrimony."

Alanna narrowed her eyes. "Yes. But can you tell me what it's used for?"

"Insomnia, mostly," I paused, thinking of other things that it was used for. "Sometimes it's used as a blemish cure."

"Very good. And this?" She showed me another fresh herb.

"Deadly nightshade," I reported promptly, and without waiting for her to ask me what it was for, I continued, "It's used mostly to relieve headache, though only by those who know the herb well, because so many parts are poisonous. It had few other uses that are effective."

Alanna nodded. This time she pulled out some dried herbs from her pack.

"Basil, it helps with general health, as a preventative to diseases. The next one is black snakeroot, it is very good for snake bites and other poisonous creatures. The last one is…" I struggled to remember for a minute, and then shrugged, admitting, "I'm not sure."

Alanna nodded. "That's not to bad. I'm not sure if Maude taught you this one. It's a fairly rare plant, and made even rarer by the fact that it grows mostly along the Scanran border. It's called bladdar senna. Does that sounds familiar." I shook my head, so Alanna continued, "You will rarely use it, though most of the healer for important nobles- or nobles who think that they are more important than they actually are, and of course your father, will have it on hand. When infused into water for long periods of time and then ingested, it will induce vomiting, something that is very useful for getting poisons out of the stomach, preventing it from being digested further." She nodded at the plant. "I picked that up while we were at the fort."

I committed the plant to memory, studying it intently. "Know that you mention it, I do think that I've seen my father using this before. When I was younger, I used to visit his storeroom when he was busy all the time. He was always ready for an extra pair of hands."

Alanna didn't comment further, instead putting away the bladder senna and retrieving another set of herbs. "I think we've established that you know your herbs. Now I want you to name all the herbs I set out, and why I've used these combinations."

I gulped, but set forth. The morning flew by- I stopped noticing that George was in the room, to be honest. I think Alanna felt the same. He was remarkably well behaved, quietly studying everything that I repeated in my tests.

Just as my stomach began to grumble, a loud knock sounded at the kitchen door. A face, with youthful brown curls, smiled around the edge of the door. The cheeks dimpled. "Good morning!" The voice was just in the male range- a young man, then.

The door was pulled open, revealing a path leading from the village to the castle, along with a young boy, wrapped as firmly as possible to guard against the cold. A shovel was leaning against the door, worn wood and metal making it seem ancient.

"Good morning," Alanna greeted. George ran to greet the boy, who tousled his head with easy familiarity.

"Do I hear Jacob?" Rispah as, head peeking out from behind the kitchen entranceway. "How is your mother doing?"

"Mama's doing fine," Jacob assured her. "She just sent me here to clear the way. She'll be here to cook the evening meal soon."

Rispah shook her head. "Firstly, come in and close the door. We can spare some hot tea before we send you on your way. And when you get back, tell your mother not to rush. We are in no hurry. Besides, our guests are quite busy studying today." Rispah chuckled. "Working hard, hardly working."

I couldn't help a smile at Rispah's easy humor. Neither could Alanna; she cracked a crooked smile that lit up her face. "We'll be working hard," she said, tone serious, though not heavy. "Is Anna still the midwife?"

Rispah nodded. "Yes, but her daughter is the one going out on calls more and more. Anna's getting old, and it's getting harder for her to get around every winter. In another year or two, Maggie will be village midwife and healer. She doesn't have any magic, but hopefully her skills with poultices and the like will prevent her from needing it."

Alanna pursed her lips. "Are there any healers in the town?" She asked. "As good as a midwife can be, sometimes it takes even a touch of magic to heal someone who is to far gone for other medicines."

Rispah wrinkled her nose. "Yes. Unfortunately, Ingrid charges more than she's worth. No one else is as good at healing, though, so I'm hoping that you could perhaps drop in after seeing Anna and…persuade her to lower her prices."

"Persuade?" Alanna said carefully.

"Nothing that I wouldn't do," Rispah said innocently.

Alanna raised an eyebrow. "Yes, but we both know that there are very few things that you aren't willing to do."

Rispah shrugged. "And?" Alanna continued her stare. "Oh very well," Rispah agreed. "Nothing that you wouldn't be comfortable doing either." She grinned slyly. "Though, in the defense of the innocent, there are very few things that you would refuse to do as well."

Alanna rolled her eyes. "Always the last word, Rispah. You always want the last word, don't you?"

Rispah swept a curtsy, "Always and forever."

Before things could get truly heated, however, the teapot that Rispah had but on began to squeal excitedly. She walked over to take it off of the fire, while Alanna gave me a gentle shove. "Get the teas," she ordered shortly.

Within minutes we were enjoying the freshly brewed cup of warmth. Jacob especially enjoyed it, flushing with color as the heat returned to him.

"While we're out," Alanna told me, "After, we replenish whatever Anna's got on hand for the winter, and make rounds with her, we will be paying a visit to this…Ingrid." Alanna's voice was thick with distaste, even outright rancor. She paused for a moment, as if thinking the best options through, before she said, in a low tone, "And don't bring your sword. This is mage-work, and it is our task to make sure that she understands justice."

If the words had been a physical blow, I would have been reeling. It seemed that the more time that I spent with Alanna, the more time that I felt my world was being rearranged and reevaluated, without ever asking my opinion. "But we're knights. Well, technically speaking, you're the lady knight and I'm the squire, but really, in the eyes of the King we are both held accountable for all the actions we decide to take because we are under the direction of the King and if we decide not to have our swords or any sort of weaponry-" Alanna cut me off with a fist to the head.

"You're babbling," she said firmly. "And yes, without swords."

I waited for the explanations.

I wasn't so lucky as to get one.

"Why?" I asked, trying to lead her into the answer. I briefly wondered if some God had taken all of my knight-mistress' senses.

"Rispah, I think that George will be in our way this afternoon. It's to cold outside for a boy to be in it all afternoon." Alanna said bluntly, ignoring me.

"I think you're right," Rispah agreed casually, as if the matter was of no account. "George, my dear, I think it's time that we leave our guests to their business. They'll be back then and you will be able to speak with them to your heart's content. But for now, I do believe that your sisters are missing a playmate."

George looked none to happy, but followed his mother out of the kitchen. As if following some unspoken command, Jacob gulped down the last mouthfuls of tea, and said, "I had better get going. My mother will want to know that nothing dreadful has happened to her kitchen during her absence."

"Her kitchen?" Alanna's smile was small, barely visible, in fact.

Jacob looked apprehensive for a moment. "Yes?"

Alanna's smile widened. "Good. A kitchen should always belong to the cook- at least, that's what Maude told me when I was younger."

"Really?" I struggled for a moment, picturing a child-Alanna, and then spent a moment staring blankly into space as my brain refused to work.

"Yes," Alanna said, a touch testily. "I didn't spring from the ground as an adult."

"I know that," I said, growing cross. "But it's hard to imagine, especially the idea of you being in disguise all the time."

"Bathing was hell," she said simply, with a shrug. "And once Jon, and Myles, and my friends found out, it really wasn't as bad as it sounds."

"Really?" I couldn't help sounding surprised. "I can't imagine them as children either."

Alanna's frown was cross again. "Of course we were all young!" She exclaimed. "We were all learning, though, to be fair, since all of my friends were older than me, I think I did a lot of growing up sooner."

"Ummm, bye!" Jacob called hesitantly from the doorway. We waved, in the same absentminded manner at him, and returned to our conversation.

"That's right, I remember Father saying that you were King Jonathan's squire."

Alanna's smile grew fond. "Yes. Two bumbling teens," she laughed.

My brain refused to work again. "Bumbling?" I managed. I tried to place that word in context of King Jonathan and Alanna, and couldn't quite manage it.

"Of course," Alanna said. "Before we were even squires, actually. I was still a page, and I remember having my first practice duel in class…I failed miserably, and my teacher claimed that I would never ever make a decent swordsman, especially considering my size."

"What else happened when you were younger?" I asked, genuinely curious. I'd heard all the great stories, of course. The slaying of the former Duke Roger, King Jonathan's coronation, these were the things that every child grows up knowing, and yet so little else is told. None of the trials or tribulations ever make the history books.

Alanna's smile was secretive, the first I'd ever seen it, and it make the corners of her eyes crinkle. "Alright, but only one other story."

"Sure!" I agreed excitedly, always on the quest for new knowledge.

"Anything in particular?" She asked, a touch of sarcasm in her voice.

I deftly ignored it, and shrugged my shoulders. "Anything is fine."

Alanna peered into the distance for a few moments, before grinning deviously. "Well, the first person to know that I was a girl, to really figure it out, was my father, Myles. Even though he never questioned me about it for eight years, waiting for me to tell him, he knew. When Roger sent the sleeping sickness-"

"You healed King Jonathan," I interrupted.

Alanna glared at me. "Would you like to tell the story?"

I shook my head. "I only know because my father told me that part."

"_Anyways_," Alanna stressed. "Almost everyone I know assumes that Jon was the first to know. But really, it was Myles. When I asked Myles to help me clear out the priests from Jon's room, he agreed, and then stayed with me while Coram stood guard from the outside- he really doesn't like any sort of magic." Alanna looked down at the tea swirling inside her cup. "So Myles stood there, helping me however he could, but nothing I tried worked. So finally, I called on the Goddess for aid." Her simple words made me think that calling on the Goddess was not nearly as easy as it sounded. "She allowed me to burn out the sickness, to call Jon back from the Black God's greeting." Alanna shook her head, as if to remove bad memories. "All the while, I had no idea that when I was speaking to Jon through my magic, it was resounding in the room, with the voice I was going to have. That of a woman." She gave a brief huff of laughter. "Of course, Myles had to tell me that years later, because I didn't even realize that was happening. But Myles was so kind about it. He never questioned why I was there, nor did he question my right to my shield."

I was surprised.

"I'm surprised."

Alanna cocked an eyebrow. "Why?" she asked.

"I'm not really sure. I mean, everyone knows that Sir Myles is the King's Spymaster, so he's certainly good at keeping secrets, but did you ever ask him why? You know, why he never questioned you?"

"I've never asked. I always assumed that he was more than willing to let me prove myself, and when I did, he felt that it didn't matter."

I whistled. Now that was certainly an opinion way ahead of its time. I had to admit I was surprised- with Myles' pension for drinking a little more than was healthy, it seemed as though he should miss a lot. As a result, I had always assumed it was one of Alanna's friends that figured it out first, while Myles had simply found out much later. It also added another dimension to Sir Myles, one that was out of place with his easy going persona.

"But enough of story-time." Alanna stood, stretching out her muscles. "It's high time that we get out of this kitchen, and into the cold." She scowled at the thought. "So hurry and get ready. The faster that you get your things together, the faster we'll get into the village, and the faster we can get back here and out of the cold. And remember, no swords."

I was halfway undressed in my room before I started swearing emphatically. I shook my head. My knight-mistress was certainly a sneaky woman, distracting me with a little known story of her life. I had completely forgotten to continue my argument to find out just why we weren't bringing any physical weapons along. I wasn't nervous, of course, because no hedge witch could stand up against Alanna, but more…apprehensive about why no swords were going to be involved. It was perfectly within our right (ok, technically Alanna's right) to tell Ingrid she had to lower her prices, because we had her liege-lord's permission.

Unwilling to anger Alanna, I didn't take so much as a dagger. Bundled up in the warmest clothing I had brought, I came down to see Alanna swathed in cloth, face just barely visible.

It was surreal to see her without her sword or dagger. She beckoned for me to follow her out to the stables, where I saddled Bluemoon and she saddled Darkmoon in silence. Eyebrow's knit, Alanna led us out side and mounted up, before leading me into the village using the path that Jacob had carved to the kitchen door.

Within minutes we were in the village, where most of the paths had been cleared. We left Darkmoon and Bluemoon in the single inn's stable for the afternoon, Alanna tipping the stable boy a couple of coppers to keep an eye on them.

As we left the stables, I asked where Anna lived. Pointing straight ahead to a well-made, if small hut, with a puffing chimney that wouldn't have looked out of place in a story. "Come on, Neal," Alanna motioned for me to hurry.

Alanna knocked on the door, and after a few moments of an excited dog barking, a face filled with cheer and more wrinkles than I thought was possible greeted us at the door. "Alanna, dear, you're here! How is Maude doing, the old bird? She sent me a letter you know, that cousin of mine. She's laughing, I swear, about how much warmer it is down south. I would be bitter about it, but I don't have the time. These old bones are making it hard to move around. Well come one, Rispah told me earlier this week you would be stopping by. Come boy, take this basket from me. You're a young, sprightly thing, and I'm sure that you will be better able to handle it in this weather than I. And you Alanna, you will be giving me your arm, and helping this old woman around. My daughter is visiting a young gentleman, you know," Anna continued conversationally, as if her monologue was normal. "He really is such a nice man, though a little dim-witted," she cackled.

Her monologue continued for the next one hundred feet or so, until we reached a house on the outskirts of town, a fairly dilapidated hut that looked none to stable.

Anna's grin showed that she had already lost a few teeth, though most were still intact. "Boy, are you ready to go?"

--

TBC


	9. Poetry

Hey all! I'm back, of course. I apologize that this chapter is much shorter than usual. I couldn't find a better place to break it, since I'm drawing from Squire itself. As always, tell me if there are mistakes and I'll do my best to rectify them! So please enjoy the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

**Poetry: the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts**

The only interesting part of the afternoon was actually going to Ingrid's. Even that, however, barely rated higher than a yawn in terms of excitement. The rest of it- changing bandages, giving out broth, healing aches and pains- that was all so normal and boring now it was almost impossible to think of treating the ill otherwise. It was funny, if not exactly surprising, but I had long since surpassed Alanna with my 'bedside manner', as my father had long called it. She didn't have the patience to listen to yet another grandmother's complaints about pains, or the frantic (if mostly unnecessary) worries of a new mother, or the demands that she 'do something' to prove that a parent was right and the child wrong. I didn't exactly enjoy it either, but seeing as I had marginally more patience for it, Alanna preferred to order me to do it.

So as we exited the last home on our list, and Alanna began to crack her knuckles I couldn't help bouncing a little on the balls of my feet. I was more than ready to do something proactive, to change the world, as it were. "To Ingrid's?" I suggested as casually as I could.

Alanna wasn't fooled, but her smile was still closer to a smirk. "But of course. We can't leave without a neighborly visit."

"And a neighborly warning?" I suggested. I paused in thought. "Are you even sure that she'll follow through with actions?" I didn't have a doubt in my mind that we would convince her to change her ways, but how longstanding that change would be was another story entirely.

Alanna smiled more broadly, though her eyes were a little pinched at the corners. "Rispah knows how to reach me," she said calmly. "Besides, I think that she can handle herself. We are, after all, on the proper side of the law, while Rispah has proven herself to be particularly clever when it comes to avoiding the more unfortunate aspects of the law, it shouldn't be necessary. The nearest magistrate can fine her heavily if she continues to refuse to comply."

"And it's not as though I'm not here," Anna insisted roughly, tugging on Alanna's arm. "Between Rispah and I, we can keep that nasty biddy in the right, even if we have to get creative. Not so creative that someone of your standing would have to interfere, of course," Anna gave a half bow that didn't seem quite right in concert with her shambling gait and hunched back. "But it's nice to have someone scare her with the law. She'll heed us more carefully the next time she's out of line, if she knows we've got the muscle!" Her cackle was familiar and loud. "Sonny, if you learn something here, it's to be creative! Creativity wins battles!"

"I thought you just inferred that the law wins battles," I murmured, raising an eyebrow.

The cackle filled the air again. "Hardly, boy! The only thing the law does is back up those in the right. And I assure you, sonny, we are most definitely in the right!"

Anna stumbled in the snow then, and Alanna set both their efforts on keeping the old woman on both feet; the sun was still about the horizon, but it was dipping close enough to send chills through the air. I thought longingly about returning to the palace for the winter. Alanna had assured me that we wouldn't be staying long with Coram and Rispah, since she beyond all others despised the cold.

I also had a sneaking suspicion that Alanna wanted to see Kel. It wasn't one thing, exactly. It was tiny questions, little encouragements to tell stories about my page hood that tipped me off, though I still wasn't sure. Also, let me just say that I'm not stupid- I had some of the best grades before I left university. Kel's gifts, had the ring of wealth and secrecy, and the only person who would truly have a desire, to want Kel to succeed, was Alanna. I would have to watch Alanna carefully, see if I could catch her with the gift.

Anna rapped me sharply on the head. "Sonny, pay attention or I'll shove my knitting needles up your arse."

"Aren't you supposed to be subdued, or at the very least non-violent? Aren't you a healer?" I growled, rubbing the back of my head. "And you don't have any knitting needles!"

"Are you sure?" Anna's eyes narrowed. "Do you want to test that theory?" She cackled then. "And subdued? Hah! As if I would want to be subdued at my age! I was all respectable in my youth, boy, and I have no cause to be respectable now." She grinned at me.

Alanna interrupted before I could declare full-scale war. "We're here," she said impatiently. Before Alanna could continue, Anna lurched forward and slammed her bony fist against the heavy wooden door. I noted it was made of high quality wood, and didn't show any inclination to let in drafts.

When Ingrid finally opened the door, face, haughty, Anna shoved her way in, surprising me. Alanna and I followed, also without invitation, and Ingrid looked exceedingly cross.

Oh well. I didn't _really _care whether she was cross or not.

Of course, I'd really like to say that something exciting happened as we warned her of the consequences of her actions, but it wouldn't be true. She denied it, then tried to reason with us and excuse her behavior. Alanna was having non of it, told her in marginally nicer terms to remove her head from her arse, and turned to leave.

I sighed. It was necessary, but boring. Without any further ado, we dropped Anna off at her home and I followed Alanna back to Coram and Rispah's, tired from all the healing I had done today.

"That was good work," Alanna said quietly without looking back. "Today, with the villagers."

I was surprised, but responded, "Thank you. Uh, nice handling of Ingrid." I felt stupid immediately after I said it, but Alanna just nodded her head sharply.

"What did you learn?" She called back.

"Learn?" I asked confused.

"Yes. Tell me what you learned today."

I started listing ailments, treatments, but Alanna just shook her head. I spent a moment wondering what she was driving at, and then smiled crookedly. I waited until we were in the stables, caring for our horses before I said, "I won't ever treat the people under my care as if they were coin." I thought back to the pinched expressions that softened when the villagers realized that we wouldn't ask for payment, despite being knights. Well, not exactly, but the sentiment stands. I paused in my brushing, and said fiercely, "Never, never, never."

Alanna looked over the back of Darkmoon. "Good," she said quietly. "It's the sort of lesson that you can never learn early enough." She remained unusually quiet, as she had for most of the ride. "We're here to protect people." It wasn't Alanna my knight mistress and companion that stared at me, but Alanna the hero, who had brought back the Dominion Jewel and conquered Duke Roger.

I shivered, warning seeping down to my bones.

The spell was broken then, and as if shifting out of a reverie, Alanna blinked twice. I broke the silence, "I'm hungry," I announced, bringing her attention back to the present.

Alanna cracked a wide smile. "You're male, a squire, and a healer. Of _course_ you are."

* * *

After another few days, we said our goodbyes to everyone at Fief Trebond and left, headed back to the palace. I was eager to get back, I admit. I was surprised how much I missed everybody, now that I wasn't being dragging everywhere and anywhere with my knight mistress. I had gotten letters, of course, but it was a poor substitution when I was used to seeing most of my friends everyday as the Stump did his best to torture us.

It wouldn't take us more than a two weeks normally, but with the northern snows following us, our pace was greatly slowed. Alanna grumbled every step of the way, and I resisted the urge to snap at her to stop complaining. I hadn't been lying to Kel all those months ago when I said that Alanna's tongue was as sharp as her sword. So instead I weathered it as best I could, glad as various landmarks passed us by. My knight mistress would be far happier with a fire and a room.

It wasn't until Corus was actually in sight that my mind went into turmoil. Although winter should have been a major tip, I hadn't even considered Midwinter gifts. As usual, I didn't have the foresight Kel did to purchase gifts early- I had not a single thing to give to my friends, let alone Alanna. I closed my eyes, whispering a muttered prayer. What on _earth_ was I supposed to give Alanna for Midwinter? After nearly a days struggle with the idea, I finally laid it to rest; I wouldn't be able to purchase anything in Corus proper, not with Alanna with me every step of the way. I would have to wait until we were settled, and steal of in secret to the markets. I rubbed a hand across my eyes.

"You haven't said anything." Alanna interrupted my thoughts brusquely. "Aren't you excited to be back home?"

"Yes, of course." I agreed, startled. "I mean, I'll see my parents, Kel, Cleon, Owen…" I trailed off, realizing that I might sound insensitive. Alanna would be effectively snowed into the palace; she had no chance at all of getting down to Pirate's Swoop and back in the snow that was sure to set in within a day or two of arrival. I hesitated. "Of course, you can join my family and I for the last day of Midwinter," I said, naming the day that most families had their private meals together. King Jonathan usually hosted the rest of the Midwinter evening with balls, gatherings and the like.

Alanna smiled, eyes crinkling at the corner. "Neal, are you worried for me?"

I blushed, stammering, "No, i-it's just that, I f-figured that you might not have anyone…" I trailed off.

Alanna chuckled. "Though I have spent many midwinter meals with Jon, Thayet and their children, George has already come up to the palace with Alianne, though my other two are busy with their work."

"Oh." I felt inordinately foolish. "Well then." I coughed.

Now Alanna smiled more softly. "Thank you for the invitation, though. It was a kind gesture. You, of course, are invited to share any meals while we are at the castle with us that you desire, as long as your duties allow it. If I remember correctly, by the time lunch rolled around, everyone was hungry enough to eat even the shadiest fare." Alanna grinned again. "Not that you'll be excused from your duties. Raoul and some other nobles are going to be around for sure, and I'd like to see you try your hand against them where I can watch." I exhaled slowly. Compared to Alanna, they'd be a walk in the park. Alanna continued, "And of course, we haven't had a real chance to work on your archery since the summer. You need some more work with the broad-heads and the fire arrows…" Alanna listed the many, many, _many_ skills she wanted me to improve, and I sighed. It looked like my winter would be as busy as any of those during my page years, though I wasn't exactly surprised. Alanna was not one to let a student sit idle.

I let the comments pass without contest. She was probably right. Well, she was right, actually.

It wasn't until the following day that we actually got to the palace itself, and I sighed in pleasure at being able to feel my fingers in the warmth of the palace. I knew that both Alanna and I were still flushed from the cold, though we parted, her for her quarters in the palace, me for my squire's quarters. Since it was midmorning, only other squires where there, the pages out in the practice field. Prosper, Seaver and a few others were present; I was treated to much wild hugging and wondering exclamations as to what it was like being Lady Knight Alanna's squire in an all to reverential tone. I did my best to answer the questions, even though I was worn out from being in the saddle all day, everyday for the last three weeks. Finally my stomach grumbled in time with the midday bell, and as one chattering unit we made our way to the mess hall, joining the forming line. I asked about the other squires that were absent, and between those present I was able to figure out who was coming to the palace for the winter. I was sad to note that no one seemed to know if Kel and the King's Own would be returning this winter.

I was just sitting down with my meal, when I was accosted from behind by a far-to-cheerful voice shouting, "Neal!" with glee. Owen hadn't changed one bit, nor Merric or any of the others. Well, it was fair to say that they had perhaps grown more muscled, but their personalities hadn't changed even a smidge. I was barely keeping up with Owen's questions when the Stump came in, inspiring silence in us all until his prayer was said.

I immediately applied myself to my food. I hadn't had anything hot since we'd left Trebond, a fact that hadn't made the journey any easier.

Once the pages had left once more for their afternoon studies, the squires mostly split up, some to practice, some to go to the city proper, some to relax while they had the chance. Alanna had given me a couple days off while she attended to some matters with the King; she figured, and I quote, that "You can't possibly get worse in such a short amount of time, correct?"

I had the feeling that if I did get worse, it would be easier just to throw myself on Mithros's mercy.

So I compromised. I spent the next week using the practice courts in the morning, and reading most of the afternoon, curled under my covers, relishing in the warmth. I spent the evenings with my father once his work was done, telling him of my first experiences as a squire, but my true happiness remained in the books. I sighed. It had been so long since I had the chance to really sit down and read, I went to the palace library and borrowed four books, peeling through them in a single afternoon. To be fair they were thin volumes, but I still felt much better after having read.

Three days in, Cleon joined to steadily growing group of squires in attendence, but the evening of the seventh day was especially pleasant- Kel, my closest friend was finally home. I went directly to the serving line without checking to see who was around; that morning, Cleon had volunteered to practice some sword-work with me, and distracted a neighbor's sword that had slid onto our court by the force of his disarmament, I had dropped my guard. Cleon had smacked my hand, breaking two fingers. I had healed them, of course, but I was still ravenously hungry, despite my huge midday meal. Cleon and I chatted amiably as we got out food, I turned, and couldn't help my grin or my shout: "Mithros defend us, it's the King's Own squire!"

I came over to the table, clapped Prosper on the shoulder, nodded to Balduin, then slid into the space across from Kel. "When did you get back?" I demanded, "And where's you're fledgling?" I had been incredibly surprised when Kel had revealed her unintentional attachment to the baby griffin, and had expressed no small amount of sympathy in return. I had heard they were devilishly hard to deal with under normal circumstances, let alone after being traumatized.

Of course, there was also the added problem of the parents going after Kel. I noticed a bit of orange down on her shoulder and reached across to pluck it off, and dropped to fuzz to the floor.

Across from me, Cleon as, "Um, Kel? Is this seat taken?" She looked up, and then further up. I smiled a little. Cleon had certainly gotten taller. "Please sit," she begged. "It hurts my neck to look at you." Her face showed a smidgen of confusion. "Since when do you need to ask for permission to sit, anyway?"

Cleon ignored her question, asking instead, "When did you get back? We weren't sure how long you'd be gone-"

"Or if you'd ever eat here again," I couldn't resist adding. "We heard you mostly take meals with the King's Own."

"Because my friends were away," Kel pointed out reasonably. "When did _you_ get back?"

I laughed a little. "I've been here a week," I said, "hiding from my lovely knight mistress." I couldn't resist adding, "She doesn't need a sword- that temper sharpens her tongue just fine. This redheaded giant's been in three days."

"Scanran border's cooled down," Cleon said, still staring at Kel. A thought began to blossom in the back of my mind, but I wasn't quite sure what it was. "All the weather auguries are for a bad winter. Bursetin Pass is already snowed shut. Sir Inness decided if we were going to reach the palace this year, we'd best go now." I heartily agreed, seeing how strong the snows had been while Alanna and I were still up north.

"You see much action up there?" asked Balduin. "We've been on the Gallan border- no that it's a picnic, mind."

"The Scanrans are fidgety," Cleon replied. "Used to be, the border clans would raid on their own. Annoying, but you don't need an army to pound them, just whoever's about. Last year though, one of the southern clans elected a war leader, Maggur Rathhausak. He brought five clans together and they overran Northwatch Fortress in June." We all winced, knowing that he's named the key to Tortall's northern border defenses. "We got it back. One of the haMinches, general Vanget, took command and cleaned Northwatch out."

"Who was in command when it was overrun?" Prosper wanted to know. "And where was he?"

Cleon grinned, a little unpleasantly. "Hunting. General haMinch court-martialed all the officers but the junior ones." He looked at Kel. "What about you? Is Lord Raoul kin-" he cut himself off, changing his mind. "Easy to work with?"

Kel smiled up into Cleon's eyes, a fact that the thought in the back of my mind took notice of. "He's the best master I could have hoped for. And working with the Own is interesting."

I couldn't help teasing her. "Meet anyone worth having a conversation with?" I asked wickedly.

"You mean relatives of yours?" Kel asked, all innocence. "You know, Neal, I think your branch was cheated when they handed out brains, because Dom-" I threw a roll at her, but she ducked out of the way.

"My cousin Domitan of Masbolle's a squad leader in Third Complany," I explained to the others. To Kel, I said, "And he says _you_ tangled with a centaur-"

"Heads up," Balduin said, getting to his feet.

We all stood as the Stump entered with Kel's brother Inness of Mindelan. Once the Stump had given the evening prayer, we all dropped, immediately diggin into our food.

"So what's this about a centaur?" Balduin inquired. "You fought one?"

"Oh, that," I could tell that Kel was trying to minimize the importance. "Yes, on foot, and he almost kicked my belly through my spine. I'd rather hear about Scanra."

"Did you use a sword or spear?" demanded Prosper.

"My lord lets me use my glaive," she replied. "All the men carry some kind of pole arm." She turned to Cleon, clearly done with the tipic and asked, "So who's this new warlord?"

Cleon began telling us what he knew when the door to the mess hall opened once more and a beautiful figure walked through to door. I instantly noted every feature and aspect of her. The woman wore two kimonos, one over the other. The outer was cream-colored silk with orange and yellow maple leaves printed on the fabric, bringing out the golden tones of her skin. The edges of her inner kimono were orange, and both were secured by an obi of stiff bronze silk. Her brown silk slippers made almost no sound on the floor, but I realized I could her it; I tore my eyes away and noticed not a single person in the room stirred. I turned back just in time to catch a glimpse of her face. Two ebony locks framed it perfectly, but she was to far away for me to catch the details of her face.

She placed her palms on her thighs, bowing precisely to the men on the dais. Her voice was musical, a touch of accent on her Common, and audible throughout the room. "I come at the request of my mistress, her imperial highness, Princess Shinkokami."

I barely noticed the Stump putting aside his napkin, stepping of the dais and bowing in return. I was called back to reality by the rough difference between the two voices as the Stump said, "I am the training master, Lord Wyldon of Cavall. How may I assist you and your imperial mistress?"

The guest's voice was even sweeter the second time. "My mistress says, she has been told that Squire Keladry is here," she said, bowing to the Stump again. "Might this unworthy servant of the princess be permitted to speak with her?"

The meaning of her words sank into my mind slowly, so it wasn't until Kel was actually in front of the dais that I noticed her absence. I only had eyes for the Yamani lady. I could just barely hear what was being said on the dais.

"Please excuse me," Kel began in common, "But have I the hnor of addressing the Lady Yukimi noh Daiomoru?"

Lady Yukimi's face didn't change as far as I could see, answered, "You have changed very much too in six years, Keladry of Mindelan There is more of you than there was."

The Stump interrupted, saying, "If you will excuse me? I know you have much to discuss with Squire Keladry. Outside, perhaps?" I wanted to cry out- I wanted to keep staring at Lady Yukimi until I died.

"My lord, may I ask if Squire Keladry is permitted to visit my mistress when her meal is complete?" I closed my eyes for a second to listen to her voice.

"Keladry must ask her knight-master," the Stump said.

Kel said something in Yamani, and the bowed to Lady Yukimi, who bowed back. Lady Yukimi said something else, then bowed to us. The clatter was deafening after the previous silence as every page and squire in the hall hastened to stand and bow. Lady Yukimi drew a fan and covered the lower half of her face. I heard someone sigh with longing, and just barely- _barely_- stopped myself from doing the same.

And then the pair were gone.

There was another explosion of noise as everyone in the room tried to guess what was going on. The ideas ranged from the plausible to the wildly ridiculous, but I was practically bouncing in my seat, waiting for Kel to come back. Why waste time with theories when the answer will be returning (hopefully) in a few moments? Sure enough, Kel reentered the mess hall after several long minutes and was immediately besieged with questions, my own included.

"Did many beautiful girls come with the princess?" Prosper asked excitedly.

"Do they all dress like that?" Owen asked wonderingly was Prosper finished.

Kel answered the questions between bites until Cleon growled at us all, "Let her eat! We'll see plenty of the ladies soon. Master Oakbridge posted the schedule for entertainments today."

"We'll hop so hard at those things we'll be lucky to get a whiff of perfume," Prosper complained, but Cleon had reminded us that supper was getting cold.

I couldn't help staring at Cleon with interest while everyone else munched on their food. The thought had finally wriggled lose. _It sounds like he likes her!_ I realized. Kel looked up at that moment, and saw me looking at Cleon. She waited for a moment for my explanation, but I just smiled at her, buttering a roll. That thought could be saved for later. "Lady Alanna has been putting me through my paces. I swear, if she hears of so much as a sniffle in the village down the road, she has to drag me there to study the healing of sniffles. Would you like to trade with me?" Even as I said it I hoped the answer would be no. I would feel especially guilty for enjoying my training if Kel was still hung up over being Alanna's squire.

Kel looked surprised at my question for half a seconds time, then looked at me, straight-face. "If you want my place, you can have it," she told me. "You'd particularly like the tilting practice we have every day when we aren't in the field."

I shuddered. "Tilt with Lord Raoul? Why don't I just like down in front of an elephant and let it step on me? I bet it feels the same."

"Will you be around later, Kel?" Cleon asked as Kel stood, getting ready to go.

She shook her head. "If my lord lets me out of evening lessons, I'll be visiting the Yamani ladies," she replied. I noticed that he looked disappointed. "I'll see you tomorrow night, though, if we aren't called out. Try not to spend too many hours writing poems to Yuki's eyebrow," she advised me. I felt the urge to protest, but I knew perfectly well my tendencies, and didn't feel like being made the fool. Erm, being made the fool _again_. "Yamani poetry is very different from ours. I doubt she'd appreciate yours." Grinning she took her tray to the servers while the remainder of use discussed where we might find books of Yamani poetry. I was the only one with any reasonable idea, of course, and I wasn't giving away and advantages. The librarians had stocked several hundred books on Yamani history, translated poems, as well as works in Yamani in the library for the incoming guests.

I resolved to pick up some books as soon as I could safely get out of the mess hall without the others following, so I took my time with my food and lingered until everyone was gone.

I nearly sprinted to the library, where only Prosper was there, grinning at me. "Ah, the same idea," he said. I nodded, a little out of breath from my run. He tossed me a book. "There'll be enough ladies to share," he said, and his grin widened. I looked at the volume that Prosper had give me. Like his own book, it was full of Yamani poetry.

We went out separate ways once we exited the library, me to my rooms, Prosper to the house his family had in town. I hid the book beneath my clothing until I was in my room, and I opened it, looking at the translations.

_**Ono no Komachi**_

_**The hue of the cherry**_

_The hue of the cherry_

_fades too quickly from sight_

_all for nothing_

_this body of mine grows old __--_

_spring rain ceaselessly falling._

I looked at it blankly. I scanned the page for the rest of the poem, but it was to no avail. I closed my eyes, then opened them, as though expecting that to make a difference, but it didn't.

I scanned through several more. Some where title-less, some where author-less, and some were both, yet, strangely, I began to enjoy the poetry even more than that native to Tortall.

_old pond _

_a frog jumps _

_the sound of water _

After a moments thought I smiled. It took me most of the evening, but I managed to finish the entire book and went to be thinking, _It can't be that hard…_

--

TBC


	10. Representation

Ok, I'd just like to warn you for starters that I've invented something for this chapter. I wanted Neal to get involved with the trial first hand, so I created a law where one noble can stand in as representation for another noble in a court of law if the noble is absent or otherwise incapacitated. I'm hoping that you all don't mind this, and that you enjoy this chapter!

Oh, as a second note (and I'm hoping this will make you all very happy) the next couple of chapters will come fairly quickly since I'm drawing quite a few scenes directly from Squire. So let me thank you for reading the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Representation: ****action or speech on behalf of a person, group, business house, state, or the like by an agent, deputy, or representative**

Things continued along the same vein for the next few days; Kel mocked my poetry, her, me and the rest of the squires talked about our experiences with squiredom, and trained. The first day of December came, and Alanna came to my room after supper, leaning against my wall. I was polishing my armor, a fact which made her smile. "I'm going home," she said. "It turns out that Thom got permission from the Mithran priests to return home for midwinter, so I'm going to Pirate's Swoop to see him. In the meantime, you're going to be entrusted to Lord Wyldon's care. You need to be here for the winter festivities."

I looked up, surprised. "Really?"

"What cause would I have for lying?" Alanna asked a little crossly. "George has already left. I had some things to finish up with Jon, so I'll be leaving tomorrow."

"Alright," I said. I hesitated for a moment; I had managed to spend the afternoon in Corus a few days ago and picked up my Midwinter gifts, but I hadn't had time to wrap anything. I had assumed that Alanna would be around. Since she wasn't, I held up a hand for her to wait, and dug hastily in my trunk.

I had asked Sir Myles, her foster father, for advice, but he had been most unhelpful, assuring me that whatever I chose to get her would be fine. Actually, he first assured me that I didn't need to get her anything at all, but when I insisted, that's what he told me. I had gone to my father next, and he hadn't been much more help. It was actually Lady Eleni, George's mother and Sir Myles's wife who had been the true help. She had said that even now, Alanna had a soft spot for jewelry. I had hoped initially upon my venture into the city to find a small set of earbobs, or a necklace, but found something even greater.

A merchant had been peddling a set of five crystals (amethyst, snowflake obsidian, crysoprase, bloodstone and amber) known for their healing properties. They laid in a simple oak box, carved into different healing glyphs. They were without magic, so Alanna could use them to store healing as she chose, and then later use it to bolster any healings that she desired. "Here," I said, giving it to her. She looked surprised. "Just promise not to open it until Midwinter, alright?"

Alanna smiled, and somehow it made her look years younger. "Of course. Selma already has your gift tucked away for the first morning of Midwinter." She paused for half a second, then pulled me into a brief hug, then was gone before I knew how to respond. So I smiled slightly to myself, and returned to polishing my armor.

* * *

The strangest part of winter was the fact that once I was returned to the Stump's care, I found the work startlingly easy. So easy, that even Wyldon was forced to say, "Good work." Of course, he made up for it by giving me more tasks than ever, but I suppose the sentiment still stands. He even had me tilt against Lord Raoul, much to my chagrin and Kel's laughter. Being sent off your horse and landing in the snow is the single most unpleasant situation I've ever been in. By the time I was done, my shirt was soaked not with sweat, but with melted snow, causing me to shiver.

However, barely two weeks had passed before Kel and Lord Raoul were recalled to duty. I wasn't surprised so much as I was disappointed. Like before, Lalasa told me of the change, which I passed on to everyone else. Owen was the most affected. He tends to live in an optimistic world, and I think he genuinely believed that Kel would not be called back to the field all winter. Owen almost has a sort of hero worship for her, which is sweet and irritating at the same time.

So while I had been prepared for that eventuality, I hadn't been prepared for another. Kel had been gone for about a month, when my father came to the practice field.

My father _never_ comes to the practice field. His patients are brought to him, with the exception of the King, of course, since he has to many materials in his workshops to be constantly moving them. I was unsaddling Bluemoon when I caught a glimpse of him. His voice carried into the stables, where every person was silent.

"Lord Wyldon," my father began, "I would like to request that I have the midday meal with my son. Would you please excuse him?"

I couldn't tell what the Stump's expression was, but I'm sure it was as mystified as my own. Prosper and Merric nudged me, as if I should now what was going on. Cleon just looked shocked. I shrugged in return, and inched closer to the voices. "Of course, Duke Baird." I could practically see the curiosity in the Stump's voice, but he was to well bred to ask it.

"It is simply a personal matter," Father said to his unasked question. There was a rustle of cloth; they had most likely bowed to each other. Then my father was at the stable door. "Neal, come see me when you are done, alright?"

Then he was gone.

I gaped in a rather unmanly fashion, and then finished my work as quickly as possible. Seaver's face was worried, so when I turned to my tack, he simply pushed me away. "I'll do it," I said quietly. "If it's not so big an emergency that it needs to be handled right away, then I'll do it myself."

Seaver hesitated. "Something tells me it's not a good idea. I've never seen your father here, Neal. It's big. Big enough that he asked Wyldon for permission. Just go."

I hesitated a little longer, but Merric was already taking the saddle out of my hands. "If we're a little late, it won't kill anyone. News will already be spreading like wildfire. Everyone knows that he was here."

I sprinted off. I didn't want anyone to see, but my heart was hammering in my chest. The last time my father had made a trip away from the palace, it was to tell me that my brothers were in the Black God's arms. I stopped outside of Father's room, and went to knock. My hands were shaking badly. "Father?" I called as a knocked, once I was sure that my voice wouldn't quaver to much.

I was let in instantly by Father. His face was serious. "Neal, sit down."

I couldn't, I was to agitated. "Just tell me!" I insisted. I could feel the blood draining from my face.

"It's Lalasa…the man who hired her kidnappers has been found." This time I listened to his plea that I sit, and collapsed into a chair. "Neal, I just found out this morning that the trial will be taking place starting tomorrow."

I felt as though my gaze should set the world around me on fire, I was in such a temper. "I'm going to see Lord Wyldon," I growled. "I'm attending the trial, no matter what it takes. Kel isn't here. Someone needs to stand with her."

Father knew better than to argue with me when I was in a mood. Instead, he shoved some bread, cheese, cured ham, water, and some fried greens on a plate towards me.

"Neal, slow down. First off, you cannot go gallivanting off to see Lord Wyldon. He is still attending midday. At least wait until he is back in his rooms. Secondly, eat." This part I obeyed. I was in fact ravenous.

"Neal, you have to be patient. You cannot simply go charging into the courtroom. Turomot will have your head for it."

"So I accompany Lalasa," I said around a mouthful of food. "No one will question me standing in for Kel if Wyldon and Turomot agree to my presence."

My father held his tongue. He knew I was right. Settling back into his chair, he closed his eyes. "Go to see Turomot first. If he agrees, Wyldon will be more inclined. Turomot is the stickler in the courtroom, so try to win him over first. It's unlikely that anyone will contest you if you actually gain access." He sighed heavily and suddenly looked…old. "Remember Neal, just because you might- and I stress the might- be able to stand in for Kel, and sit next to Lalasa as representation of the noble class, you will not be able to speak as Kel would. You were not Lalasa's employer. You cannot defend or argue actions. You _must_ be silent at all costs. I don't care what happens, who is being charged, or what the verdict is. And if you should not be permitted to stand in for Kel until she arrives, do not do anything that would cause you to be removed from the spectators benches. Lalasa needs all the support she can muster against a noble opponent. _Do you understand me_?" There was iron in his voice.

I meekly agreed, "Yes, sir."

"Go, then. See Lord Turomot."

I darted off, and the cold of the palace, usually not terrible even in the harshest of winters, frosted my bones and iced my veins. The magistrates could be found in the lower floors of the east wing. I grabbed the lapel of the first clerk that was in my sights and asked roughly, "Where is Lord Turomot? It is essential that I see him."

The clerk eyed my hand, and I released him immediately. "I'm sorry," I apologized. The better the clerks thought of me, the more likely I was to see him. Mollified, the clerk straightened his color, and sniffed.

"What is the matter of your concern?"

"I wish to represent Kel- Keladry of Mindelan- in the upcoming case over the kidnapping of Lalasa Isran this past April."

The clerk raised his eyes, and apparently deemed the matter of great enough importance that he whisked himself into Turomot's office. He returned several minutes later, carrying a sheaf of papers. He appraised me for a long time, and I resisted to urge to ask if he had a problem with the fact that I was planning on representing the only known female squire. I resisted.

See? Sometimes I manage to have good sense.

After another set of several long moments spent under the clerk's weighty gaze (I also resisted the urge to fidget) he finally motioned to the door. "Lord Turomot is willing to see you, but state your case quickly. His current case will not remain adjourned for more than another twenty minutes."

Eager to do just that, I raced into the room and properly executed the bow that Lord Turomot's station deserved. Still in my bow, I said, "Thank you, my lord, for seeing me on such short notice. I greatly appreciate the honor."

Lord Turomot didn't bat an eyelash at the flattery. "The case is coming quickly. I had no choice. My clerk tells me you wish to stand in for Keladry of Mindelan. Why do you wish to take this course of action?"

I paused, fighting for the right words. "Keladry did the honorable thing," I began slowly. "She abandoned her personal desires to rescue Lalasa knowing full well the weight of her consequences. She-" Turomot interrupted me with a rasping snort.

"I don't care why you as a person want to defend a friend, boy," Turomot snapped. "Why do you as a noble wish to defend her servant in her stead? What makes you qualified?"

This brought me up short. I didn't have any wish to defend Lalasa as a noble. All my interest came from being Kel's friend, and I'd like to think Lalasa's too. "Why does my wish as a noble matter?" I drawled out, trying to buy time to think.

"Because I have no care about friendships! They do not matter in the court of law! The reasons for a noble to defend another is very much in the realm of law; alliances, trade agreements, that sort of thing. Is that why you want to defend her?"

"No, that has nothing to do with it!" I exclaimed, beginning to get a little upset. Or rather, a little more upset. "I have no reasons as a noble. At best I can give you my reasons as a squire- that no servant under a squires or pages care should have to suffer when the quarrel is with the master. The law dictates so. Is that reason enough?"

"Don't be smart with me, boy!" Turomot glared at me, a formidable sight indeed. "I am here to uphold the law. If you want to quote it at me, be sure that you can defend yourself well using the law!"

Before I opened my mouth, I paused, breathing heavily. I was not about to risk being able to represent Lalasa because of this parsimonious old man. "What do you wish to hear?" I finally said quietly. "No matter what you think, my reasons are first and foremost because Kel is my friend. I can't get around that. I'm not going to fabricate answers for the law."

Something softened in Turomot's eyes. "Ah, now that is an answer I can appreciate," he said steadily, if grudgingly. "Fine. If you wish to represent the maid Lalasa until such a time that Kel is able to report to the court, you have the court's blessing."

I broke into a wide smile. I could no more help it than I could forgo eating. "Thank you, Lord Turomot," I said eagerly. I bowed again, but the magistrate wasn't done with me.

"But if I hear one word of quarrel over your representation, from either Lord Wyldon or the maid Lalasa, you'll be out on your ear, squire. And I'll have no tomfoolery. And Squire Keladry may do as she wishes with you if she is displeased by your representation." Therein lay the reason that most nobles didn't represent each other; most believed that it wasn't worth it. Why give anyone a cause to be upset over such a small thing as what nobles represents as servant in a court of law? Despite the warning, I didn't falter. I knew Kel- if such a thing had ever happened to me, I would prefer to know that my servant was in the hands of my friend.

"Thank you, Lord Turomot," I simply said again, and he waved a hand to dismiss me.

I raced off once more, this time to see the Stump. I knocked hard on his door. I expected him to be surprised to see me, but he grimly told me to enter. I knew that he had taken Lalasa's kidnapping as a personal affront, but I hadn't realized that he was so affected by it. "I assume, Squire Nealan, that you are planning on asking my permission to attend Lalasa's hearing?"

"Yes, sir," I agreed after I had bowed. "I've already asked Lord Turomot, and he has agreed to allow me to represent Kel in the court of law until she returns with the King's Own."

Wyldon nodded slowly. "I see. And does Squire Keladry's maid know of this?"

I suppressed a flash of irritation. Her name was Lalasa, not just some vague embodiment of a servant belonging to Kel. "No, sir. I believed that I should get permission before proposing my idea to Lalasa. That way, if she accepts, I wouldn't have to go back on my promise."

The Stump thought for a pair of moments that trickled by like molasses. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. The Stump steepled his fingers, gazed off into the distance, then leaned back slowly in his chair.

I was ready to scream. No matter what my father thought, Lord Turomot was not the hard part. He didn't share a mutual dislike, as the Stump and I did. I managed to keep my silence, and was duly rewarded. "Yes," he mused, almost to himself, "that would be fine. I've already handed over all other squires left to my command." His steely gaze focused on me. "However, I expect to you behave as though it was your servant in the case. Also, you will report to me when Squire Keladry has returned, and if she has an issue with your representation you will report that as well. Do I make myself clear?"

It took a lot of energy to keep both relief and sarcasm out of my voice as I answered, "Crystal." Like Turomot, the Stump waved a hand to dismiss me.

I left his room, then sagged. The anger and fear and pent up frustration that had been coursing through me system left abruptly. I felt that I had aged a million years, when only this morning I hadn't had a single thought about Lalasa's kidnapping since I left with Alanna. I felt briefly guilty about that. I was pretty sure that Kel hadn't let it slip her mind. I walked off slowly.

Before I went to see Lalasa, I had one last task to accomplish. I'm no great hand at scrying. At my best, I managed to make it last five minutes. Regardless, Alanna had insisted that while I travel with her, I carry a palm-sized mirror in case something happened.

I used it now, and luckily for me, Alanna was in her room, working at putting in some earbobs. She was surprised to see me, but a few worry lines set in at the corners of her mouth. "Neal, is there something wrong?"

"They've found the person who paid the thugs to kidnap Lalasa," I told her quietly. Alanna's eyes narrowed. "And I'm going to stand in for Kel until she and the Own get back. I'm sure there's already a messenger headed for her, but I don't know where they are. I know you're at Pirate's Swoop, but I figured that you might want to know."

Alanna gave me a sharp, quick nod. "Thanks, Neal. I'm glad you told me." My strength was fading fast, but I kept the connection going for a little bit longer as Alanna continued, "Be careful. Whoever it is, they've been clever enough to keep things from catching up to him- or her- thus far. Talk to me in the evening, and tell me what's been going on, Neal." Her image abruptly disappeared and I put the silvery mirror back into its case and returned it to my trunk.

I sat on my bed then, head hanging. I breathed slowly, clearing my mind. Then, once I was calm, I left my rooms. Lalasa's shop was near the palace, luckily enough for me. When I entered, it was filled with people. Lalasa had hired two more seamtresses, while her friend Tian also helped her work. From the pinched look on both their faces, they had long since heard the news. I felt better then, knowing that despite everything they had kept the shop open. They were dealing with it.

Lalasa was attending the question of one of her employees, a short, round woman with a face that was smooth and clear green eyes. When they had finished talking, I placed a hand on Lalasa's shoulder. Fine tremors shivered against my palm. "Can I speak to you privately?"

Even though she shook, Lalasa's gaze was clear. "Of course, Neal." She led me into the back of the shop, where she motioned that I should take a seat. "I've come to offer my help. If you want, I can stay with you as representation until Kel comes." I didn't try to persuade her. I wanted Lalasa to make the decision freely. Her eyes widened for a second, then she closed them. "I'm sure that Kel will be contacted by messenger, but I'm not sure where she is or when she will return." I continued, then stopped, allowing Lalasa the chance to think.

Lalasa's smile was gentle. "That's very kind," she said.

"Its no less than you deserve," I was quick to reassure her, then smiled a little wryly. "And Kel would have my head if I didn't do everything to help you in her stead." My intention to let her make her own decision crumbled; I genuinely wanted to help, so I continued fervently, "Lalasa, I know this must be hard. I want to do anything I can to help, and if that means that I represent you in front of the crown, it would be my honor." I leaned forward, watching her carefully.

Her brave exterior crumbled, and she covered her face with her hands. I let her be, and after a few moments she pulled them away slowly. "Thank you, Neal." Her voice was raspy, and I had a quick insight. My nightmares from the attack on us as pages lasted weeks. Lalasa's experience was certainly as terrifying. I was sure she had been wracked by nightmares since Kel helped her off Balor's Needle. "I'd be very thankful if you would represent me."

She stood up, and on impulse I gave her a hug before drawing back. Tian knocked then, fisting a hand on her hip. "What's this all about then?"

"Lalasa's agreed to allow me to represent her," I informed Tian. Something flashed in her eyes to quickly for me to see, but she smiled gratefully.

"I'm sorry, Squire Neal, but we're busy. Lalasa, we need you," Lalasa's back straightened at Tian's words, and she followed her friend out.

Lalasa paused at the doorway. "Thank you, really, thank you." Her smile was sweet. "It gives me hope for the future if you and Kel are the types of nobles that will be defending us."

I flushed bright red at her compliment, but she was already through the doors. I made an unobtrusive exit, satisfied with what I had accomplished today.

Upon reaching the castle once more, I informed my father of what had occurred, as well as my friends among the pages and squires. They gathered in my room after supper, where I had refused to breath a word. Cleon, who had heard the news from Inness, followed my lead. I didn't need endless, stupid rumors flitting through the halls based on what someone overheard in the mess hall. When I had explained what had happened, I was gratified to see that everyone agreed with what I had done. Cleon, Owen, and a few others even said that if I hadn't done so, they would have.

Topic of conversation aside, seeing everyone crowded into the room brought be back to when Kel had started rescuing the other pages. We even took the same spots that we had before we moved to the library. "I won't be able to come to the trial," Prosper and Merric said with regret at the same time. We all laughed briefly. Obviously, none of the pages would be allowed to come. Seaver said he was ask his knight master, as would Cleon.

At that moment, there was a knock on me door, and there stood Prince Roald, just back from Port Legann. After our hellos, we filled him in. "Lord Imrah has already given me the next few days off, so I can at least come for the first few days of the trial," he said, taking a seat against the wall. We sat quietly for a few moments.

"Has anyone notified Kel's parents?" Owen asked suddenly.

"It's customary for the magistrate to send a message to all members of the family," Cleon volunteered. "That's how I found out, from Sir Inness. He says his parents are already on their way here for the midwinter celebration and should arrive sometime tomorrow. He's instructed that the wall guards to direct them to him as soon as they get in, if they haven't already heard."

We all nodded our understanding, and lapsed into silence again.

"Has anyone heard anything of who the perpetrator is?" Prince Roald said in his calm, low voice. As one, we shook our heads.

"With all the people arriving for the Midwinter celebration, it will be almost impossible to guess," Merric said after some thought. "And if Lalasa or Tian didn't say anything, they might not know either." He frowned, faint red eyebrows snapping together. "Whoever did this is disgusting," he snarled. "Lalasa wouldn't harm a fly!"

"It's not about Lalasa," Seaver reminded him quietly. "It was never about Lalasa."

"Fine!" Merric said, exasperated. "Lalasa wouldn't hurt a fly, but neither would Kel!"

"No, she'd just break all you fingers, or slice you open with that glaive of hers," I volunteered.

Merric treated my to a scowl. "You know what I meant."

"The thing is, Kel has more than a few enemies. Besides pages and squires that were dead set against her coming, there were probably more than a few nobles who would just as easily done that," Prince Roald said. "And all we can do is act properly without enticing suspicion or giving anyone cause to anger." With that, Roald stood. "I'll see you tomorrow, Neal. And good night. I was in the saddle a long time, and I'd like to get some rest."

That called everyone back to reality. As people slowly filtered out of my room, Cleon clapped me on the shoulder. "Inness and I will both be there," he promised. His gaze was steady and serious. I nodded my thanks.

"Have a good night's rest."

"And you."

As much as I wanted a good night's rest, I spent the evening tossing and turning under my sheets. Two hours before dawn, I finally crawled out from my bed and went to the hot baths, where I soaked for an hour, trying to relax as much as possible. I had the baths to myself; there was an attendants, looking sleepy near the entrance, but no one was in the deep pools with me.

I came out as wrinkled as an old man, and had a few characteristics in common with prunes as well. I dried off and dressed before wandering back to the palace. I met Lalasa on my way to the gateway, and Tian was there with her. We exchanged tired and quiet greetings. The city was just really beginning to stir as dawn crept towards the palace walls. The court would open the second hour after dawn, but we had all agreed that those who could come would join Prince Roald, my father, and I in my father's rooms. I extended the invitation to Lalasa and Tian, who accepted. Besides Roald and my father, Cleon, Sir Inness. Lalasa stood awkwardly at the doorway, and seemed to be debating over something.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Would it be alright if my Uncle Gower joined us?" she said, eyes pleading. As a whole, we all agreed, sending a runner immediately to ask Selma to spare Gower from his duties for the morning.

The dour man joined us within fifteen minutes of the request. The morning meal was all but silent, and no one wished to change that fact. Once we were done, we filed silently towards Lord Turomot's courtroom. The room was still quiet, though a nice fire was flickering in the corner and the room was brightly lit by candles. The room was fairly open in its design, with two benches at the very front, with tables in front of them for the defendant and the prosecutor. Behind was a wooden railing that separated the remainder of the benches, where spectators could chose to sit in, in the event that the case was open to the public. Since Lalasa's kidnapping had already been proved, we needed no advocate despite being the wronged party. Lalasa and I said in the front benches while everyone crowded close behind.

This time, we did speak to one another, though it was in low hushed tones. Few other people filed in, and most of them were clerks. I raised my eyebrows when Lord Paxton of Nond stepped into the room, along with Ebroin of Genlith, my heart beating faster when Jorden didn't join them. Although I believed that he was the prime suspect, this was the first real sort of proof that I had gotten. I was less surprised when Wyldon joined us, sitting near those who had gathered near Lalasa. To my surprise, he nodded at her before he sat. Tian and Lalasa looked at one another somewhat blankly, but quickly turned to the front. No one occupied the bench next to us, an unsurprising fact. Lord Turomot would go over all the previous evidence before continuing, in his stickler fashion.

The morning was fairly boring; it was filled with testimonies, that of Lalasa, and Tian, the kidnappers, even Lord Wyldon and I were called to the stand to tell what had happened from our perspective. Turomot, face impassive, stood leaning on his staff on his dais. His eyes flickered over everyone's face as they spoke to him, a clerk on his right scribbling with amazing speed what was being said. We broke for midday. Wyldon had actually arranged for some servant to bring food to an adjoining room to the courtroom. Like breakfast, midday was enjoyed mostly in silence.

Lalasa held her head straighter, and I was glad for it. She was finally going to see justice for the attack. Lalasa curtsied to Wyldon at the end of the meal, thanking him for his kindness. His gaze remained inscrutable, and I didn't even have an inkling what was going on.

Just was the servants were packing up the meal, the Baron and Baroness of Mindelan came storming into the room. Lady Ilane kissed her son on the cheeks while the shorter Lord Piers clasped his son's hand. "Does anyone know when Kel will return?" he asked. While we shook our heads, Lady Ilane enveloped Lalasa in a hug.

"My dear, are you doing well?" she asked, sounding as if Lalasa was her own daughter. "You were very brave."

Lalasa flushed. "Squire Kel did the work, Lady. I just followed her down the Needle. She was far braver than I."

If Lady Ilane wanted to contest that, she held her tongue, saying instead, "Well, you are both safe and the one who planned this is being brought to justice. That's was truly matters." No one contested that grain of truth as we made our way back into the courtroom.

Not even Wyldon. We took our seats once more, Kel's parents joining the group that had gathered behind us. I smiled at all the familiar faces as the Duke once more called attention to the case. The afternoon carried on in the same vein as the morning, more evidence being reported from the palace guards who had discovered the men, all the way to the kidnappers telling of how they followed their hirer back through Corus to discover his identity. The court adjourned mid-afternoon, and Kel's family insisted that we all join them for supper, and asked that we catch them up on the events of the morning. The Stump and Gower were the only ones to refuse the offer, both claiming that they had work that needed to be done. Prince Roald refused on the grounds that he wished to spend time with his parents. I could see Lalasa hesitate, but after some thought, she agreed.

The evening passed without excitement, though Cleon and I told our fellow pages and squires what had happened that day. After everyone had left my room for the night, I attempted once more to fall asleep, but like the night before I didn't get much. When I woke up, there was a message under my door, a brief message from Kel that reported she would probably be back in two days; tonight then, since the messenger took a day to get back.

When I met Lalasa that morning, I reported the news dutifully to her, then later to the Stump. When we actually got to the courtroom, I told the rest of the group the news as well. The second day passed in the same vein as the first, and once more, Lord Paxton of Nond and Ebroin of Genlith attended. I thinned my lips, all but openly glaring at the pair. This was all but a confirmation. There would be no reason for them to put such interest in the case unless the one thing they had in common- Joren- was the cause.

Lalasa saw my look, corners of her mouth tightening with displeasure. She'd seen the results of Joren's handywork on Kel more than once, and if possible, she carried even less love for him than I did. It didn't take long for anyone else to put together the pieces either, for all we lacked the confirmation. I watched Wyldon carefully, and was pleased when his eyes darkened, snapping with displeasure.

As the day passed, I kept expecting Kel to arrive at any second, but things continued smoothly until Lord Turomot deemed the case closed for the day, a few minutes before supper. I stretched as we left, this time separating. Lalasa caught hold of my arm for a second. "Tian and I are going to stay," she said. "We're going to wait near the Own's barracks until they arrive."

I chewed on my lip momentarily, and felt bad as I admitted, "I'd like to spare the time, but I can't. I promised my father I would spend the evening with him. When Kel gets in, would you mind sending me a message? I don't care how late it is, I'd rather know." She nodded.

I was on the verge of falling asleep when I heard the pounding on my door. I opened it, yawning, and a messenger held out a scrap of paper. Tipping him a coin, I pulled it open.

_Kel has just arrived with Lord Raoul and the rest of the King's Own. They came in during supper, but were exhausted. Tian and I took care of them, and now they are resting. Kel asked to see you tomorrow morning privately, before Duke Turomot begins. Thank you again for all your kind help._

_Lalasa Isran_

* * *

TBC


	11. Meeting

Ok, like I said last chapter, these next few will come out fairly quickly due to the fact that majorities of the chapters will be pulled directly from the book- with my own spin, of course. This chapter, I felt it was important to really introduce Yuki in Neal's life since we never get a description of how they first meet or any of that sort of information. So I hope you like my characterization of her, and enjoy the chapter as a whole. So now I give you the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Meeting: the act of coming together**

Kel knocked on my door far to early in the morning. I groaned, "Coming!" and rolled out of bed onto the floor, whereupon I felt as though my muscles had been turned to ice and stiffly opened the door. "What on earth needs to be said at this ungodly hour?"

"My thanks," Kel said, and she was far to awake, as always. "Especially if they are going to be said before the trial today." She stepped past me, sitting on my chair while I returned to my bed and wrapped the blankets around me.

"What thanks?" I protested blearily. "I didn't do anything that you wouldn't have done. Besides, you'll be sitting beside Lalasa today, and that's what really matters."

"I know, but it still means a lot, to Lalasa and Gower, Tian, we're all grateful to have someone so willing to defend Lalasa and her mistress, The Girl." There was a taunting smile on her lips, but I had a feeling that her anger was directed inward. She softened for half a second to say, more earnestly, "Thank you, Neal. You really are my best friend." As warmed as I was by that, I was worried by the self-incrimination in her tone. Never- never!- had I heard her refer to herself as The Girl in anything but a joking tone.

"Kel, this is _not_ your fault, and you cannot possibly believe that!"

"I know, I know," she repeated, "But that really doesn't matter to my conscience. If only I'd warned her that something like that might have happened, if only I'd realized how desperate Jo-" she cut herself off. Her hands trembled slightly in her lap. "No, the perpetrator will be punished by law and by my own hand."

"Kel…" I thought of all the things that I could say and settled on, "Don't do anything that you'll regret." I couldn't force her to do anything once riled up to this degree, just as I couldn't have stopped her from fighting bullies when we were pages.

There was something distant and cool in her eyes as she replied, "I won't," then left.

I let my head fall back against the wall, and prayed to Mithros for a speedy and just end to the trial.

* * *

We all forced ourselves to sit quietly behind Kel, Lord Raoul, and Lalasa. Jump sat between Kel's feet on the floor, silently baring his teeth towards the people on the opposite bench. Once more across the aisle was Paxton of Nond, looking especially anxious today, the corners of his eyes pinched and sad. Ebroin of Genlith was there again too, as well as a third man I didn't recognize on sight. He was marked an advocate by his white overrobe and large black skullcap.

"Master Advocate Muirgen of Sigis Hold," I heard Lord Raoul murmur when Kel asked about his identity. "He's very good- the best money can buy."

"There's little he can do when everybody knows Joren is guilty," Kel responded, anger a steady undercurrent to her normally calm voice. Raoul was about to answer when Duke Turomot struck the bronze disk with a polished granite ball, and we stood for a prayer to Mithros, as we had the previous two mornings.

Duke Turomot scowled at Kel, looking more parsimonious than ever. "These proceedings are a matter of law, not of noble privilege. Should you have challenges to issue, make them elsewhere. We-" he was cut off abruptly as the Watchmen on guard outside of the courtroom threw the doors open. He stepped in the room to announce, "His royal majesty, King Jonathan the Fourth. Her royal majesty, Queen Thayet."

As one we rose and bowed, or curtsied, to our monarchs. The two throne-like chairs that had been empty in the proceeding days were now being used by King Jonathan and Queen Thayet. The king nodded to Turomot, and the lord continued, splotches of heat rising in his cheeks. We didn't seat ourselves until Lord Turomot was once more comfortably positioned on his dias. I could tell no one was sure as to why the King and Queen had come to the trial. The best inkling that I had was that Alanna might have mentioned something about it, but I couldn't imagine the reason why she would do such a thing; the King and Queen present would make no difference on the outcome.

Duke Turomot interrupted my thoughts by commanding two Watchmen to, "Admit the convicted commoners!"

Two men in shackled where escorted in as a clerk red from a sheet of parchment. "Let the record show that the convicted witnesses, Ivath Brand and Urfan Noll, have entered the chamber. In exchange for their testimony, their fifteen-year sentence will be reduced to ten." A movement in front of my caught my attention. Kel had balled her fists, knuckles turning white.

"Proceed, Master Hayward," ordered Duke Turomot, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil.

"Admit to noble prisoner," Clerk Hayward called. The Watchmean on duty at another side door opened it. Sure enough, out came Joren of Stone Mountain, the same icy cold features that had annoyed me when we first met. He didn't look as though he had suffered an inkling for his imprisonment as he bowed to the monarchs and then to Duke Turomot. He went to the bench occupied by Ebroin of Genlith and the advocate.

He never glanced at Lalasa or Kel.

Movement in front of me caught my attention again. This time, it was Kel's whole body stiffening, and before she turned her face away I caught her schooling her face into smooth features any Yamani would envy.

Looking to sure of himself, Ebroin rose. "If I may speak, my lord Duke." Turomot nodded. "I am Ebroin of Genlith, steward for his Corus properties to Lord Burchard of Stone Mountan, father to Joren of Stone Mountain. As my lord is in the north and unable to reach the palace at present, I stand in his place. With me is Master Advocate Muirgen of Sigis Hold, licensed to speak in law in Tortall, Tyra, Maren, and Galla. He will serve on Squire Joren's behalf."

I nearly snorted to myself, but didn't quite dare. I was betting more than anything that Burchard was putting on a show, pretending the offenses meant less that a flies death.

"I know Master Advocate Muirgen," said Duke Turomot. "He may speak as required."

Ebroin sat, while the Master Advocate spread his arms. "Your majesties, my Lord Magistrate, the testimony of convicted men in such matters is a jest. They give you Squire Joren's name to please the Watch interrogators; they had to offer a truly big fish to justify any change in their sentence. They-"

"Yatter on, you cake-mouthed money britches," snarled Urfan. "We knows who paid us"- the guard beside him cuffed his ear; he continued despite the blow- "noble or not-" a second cuff shut him up.

The Master Advocate all but sneered at the men. "Need we include the common element?" he asked, accenting the words common ever so slightly. "They have identified Squire Joren, rightly or wrongly."

Duke Turomot nodded and the Watchmen escorted the prisoners from the room.

"No evidence connects Squire Jorden to this tawdry affair," began the Master Advocate persuasively.

Duke Turomot didn't bother to answer, instead raising a leather envelope that dripped with wax seals on ribbons.

"The map of the palace he made for those men," I heard Lalasa whisper to Kel.

Barely slowed, the Master Advocate continued, "I object to the use of law court mages to determine the truth of Squire Joren's testimony. They would not practice inquiry magic-" here again, the words were given a nasty slur- "if they were fit to make a decent living-"

"Oh, stop this currish rubble." Joren cold, clear voice brought all eyes to him. "Ebroin and Muirgen have talked at me for days. I'm weary of it." He looked at Duke Turomot. "I paid those idiots to steal the wench and stash her on Balor's Needle. I paid a-"

Muirgen and Ebroin could not have reached Joren faster if they were trying. I saw Kel face Sir Paxton and winced: the knight looked mortified, face in his hands.

"Squire, Master Joren, I beg you, not another _word_," Ebroin said in a rushed tone. "Think of your family, the smirch to your honor. There are ways to handle-"

Joren's face became a cruel mask and shook off the steward's restraining hand. "For a man who comes from a great family, you talk like a merchant. My _honor_?" His voice, which had been steadily rising, rang out in the hall. "What honor has a nation when a _female_ lives among men and pretends to their profession of arms? What honor is there in forcing a good, brave knight like Wyldon of Cavall, a hero of the realm, to accept this creature into training and to allow her to continue?" I wanted to look at Kel, but I couldn't, not with this incredible bile spewing at such prodigious rates. Joren wasn't just insulting Kel; his words included my knight mistress, the female Riders, Lalasa, Mithros defend, even _Queen Thayet_ could be construed as criminals according to Joren's words.

"I was not forced, Joren," Lord Wyldon told him, shoulders set as though he wanted to fight the younger man. "She earned her right to stay, as much as- more than- you lads. Against odds that might have broken one of you." As always, Wyldon's words rang with truth. I sincerely believed that it would kill him to lie.

Joren was unmoved. "I understand you are honor bound to say so, my lord," he said quietly. "The conclusions I draw are my own." Joren spat on the flagstones in front of her. It was only Lord Raoul's grip of steel- he had turned, seen my expression and grabbed my arm to prevent me from standing- that keep from launching an attack on Joren with nothing more than bare fists. I barely heard Joren's words over the rush of blood pounding in my skull. "I had her coming and going. Either she failed in her duty to her servant- and I'd have made sure the world knew the wonderful Keladry had shirked her first obligation as a noble- or she'd be so late she'd have to repeat the whole four years. No one would do that."

_Kel would_, I thought. _Kel would rather die than let a little snake like you poison her from the inside out. _Joren turned back towards the Lord Magistrate and said, "My lord Duke, you and the other examiners made allowance for her because certain interests in the kingdom mean her to succeed. You allowed her to take the big examinations alone. Of course, she passed." Joren crossed his arms over his chest. "So. I paid those men. I give you leave to sentence me under the law."

Duke Turomot leaned forward, crimson fire burning in his cheeks. "You are fortunate that, by law, a magistrate may not challenge for insult, Joren of Stone Mountain. I submit you knew that much before you found the courage to say such things of me and my examiners. But Mithros waits in judgment, you arrogant puppy. You may twist out law to suit you, but he weighs your every act, and will find you wanting." He sat back, gnarled fingers gripping the granite ball he used as a gravel. "With regard to your actions, the law is specific. According to _The Laws of Tortall_, section five, chapter twelve, paragraph two, in the matter of one noble's interference with the body servant of another noble: the offending noble must pay recompense for the loss of that servant for that period of time, in addition to the time which other servants spend in attempting to find or help the servant thus interfered with; the expense of any care of the servant following the interference; all expenses incurred by the noble with regard to court prosecution; and those costs incurred to bring said noble to court. I therefore fine Stone Mountain one hundred gold crowns, fifty of which are to be paid to Squire Keladry of Mindelan, five to the woman Lalasa Isran, and forty-five of which will be paid to this court for its expenses and those of the Watch."

"One hundred gold crowns!" gasped Ebroin of Genlith. There was an undignified squeak trailing the end of the words. "The wench was gone not even a full day!"

"Silence!" barked Duke Turomot, slamming the granite ball on the brass disk. "You lost your right to speak when your master confessed! The Isran woman earns commissions as a dressmaker to ladies, including, at the time of the interference, her royal majesty. I but include due concern for those delayed commissions."

"Stop whining and get them their filthy money, Ebroin," Joren snapped callously. "As far as I'm concerned, this country's going to the sewer-mucking merchants." He strode out through the door by which he had entered.

My attention was drawn from his exit by the King clearing his throat. The Lord Magistrate also looked at them, and the queen shook her head slightly. Sir Paxton rose, ashy. "Your majesties, your grace"- he looked at Kel- "Squire Keladry, I beg pardon for my squire's behavior. I did not know about his crime. Had I known he would act in this fashion, I would have gagged him myself." There was something hard in the corners of his mouth when he finished.

Duke Turomot held up a bony hand that still shook slightly with rage. "No bonle is responsible for the utterances of other nobles in court, unless there is proof that they are cohorts in the endeavor under study. You are a knight of good repute and standing with the Crown, Paxton of Nond. It is known that you persuaded your squire to face this court." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. _How did he manage that_?"I would suggest, however, that you use the time remaining of his service to school him in humility." _You'll need a whipping post for that_, I thought grimly.

Sir Paxton bowed and left through the main doors. Turomot looked at Ebroin of Genlith and said, "Your dispositions, sir?"

Ebroin, who had been in a heated discussion with the Master Advocate, looked up. "If it pleases the court, I require three days to raise so great a sum."

Duke Turomot's eyes narrowed slightly. "You have until sunset of the first night of Midwinter," he barked. "Each half-day you are late, a third pf the sum will be added as penalty, subject to the same divisions as the original sum."

"A third!" cried Ebroin. He quickly bowed his head when Duke Turomot leveled a glare at him. "Very well, my lord Duke."

"My Llord, I would like a question answered, please." I looked, startled, at Kel.

"Speak, Squire Keladry of Mindelan."

She had that mulish set to her chin that developed when she found something unjustifiable. "Did I hear right?" she managed to say calmly. "Joren had Lalasa kidnapped, roped, gagged, blindfolded, and dragged here and there in the dark. Then she was left on an open platform where she could have rolled into the opening to the stair and fallen to her death, and all her gets is a _fine_? For the inconvenience?"

"That is the law," said the duke. "A maidservant belongs to her mistress. Squire Joren deprived you of her services- I understand she worked at that time on a gown for her majesty"- he looked at the queen, who inclined her head- "and caused disruption to her work later as a result of disordered nerves. I remind you the young woman was also granted five gold crowns in my judgment."

The minute he finished speaking, Lalasa was at Kel's arm, begging, "Lady Kel, please, hush. The ones who did it are going to hard labor, that's what matters." Fear for Kel flooded her eyes.

"They wouldn't have touched you if he hadn't paid them," Kel told her, then turned back to Duke Turomot to say, "If he'd kidnapped me he'd have gotten prison or trial by combat." She clenched her hands so tightly two griffin wounds reopened. I nearly reached out to help them, an automatic response, before I caught myself. "but for her he tosses a few coins in our laps and goes on his way."

"You're tone borders on the insubordinate," Duke Turomot informed her, eyes chips of ice. I don't think he's ever been insulted twice in so short a time, let alone in his own court. "My clerk will send you the law pertinent to cases in which nobles interfere with those of common blood under the protection of other nobles. These laws have been in our codes for centuries, squire, worked out by men far wiser than you. If you have no more question…?" From the way Duke Turomot turned away, he expected none.

This time, Lalasa, with the help of Lord Raoul was successful in tugging Kel down to the seat. While Raoul spoke to her quietly, I noticed the King's face. Lips, thinned and almost bloodless, were staring off into space. Queen Thayet was murmuring into his ear, keeping one hand on the fists in his lap.

Duke Turomot ended the trial without and further a due, giving instructions to his clerk and the Master Advocate. Granite cracked on bronze, and cloth rustled as we all stood. King Jonathan stood, and with Thayet on his arm they began their exit.

Kel stepped around Lalasa.

"Mindelan, don't do this!" hissed Lord Wyldon. I couldn't have phrases it better myself.

The words "half-brained, twit" were on my lips, but Kel approached the monarchs, face slightly red and asked, "Your majesties, may I speak?"

Lord Raoul rested a hand on her shoulder and said something quietly into her ear. King Jonathan raised his brows, his wife turning with him. "Squire Keladry?"

"Privately, sire, if possible?" Thank Mithros Kel has some sense still flying about in her brain. Queen Thayet nodded to her husband, and King Jonathan glanced at Turomot's clerk.

The Lord Magistrate had already vanished into his private chambers, but the clerk offered, "Sire, my office is empty, if you will excuse the clutter." He went to one of the doors that led off the chamber and opened it with a bow.

Lord Raoul asked, "May I come, too?" Kel nodded.

Kel was about to head into the room when she looked at Lalasa. "Lalasa?" she asked. "It concerns you."

Lalasa looked like she'd get more enjoyment out of wrestling lions. "My lady, I couldn't. That company's to grand for the likes of me."

Kel followed the King and Queen into the room, Raoul at her elbow.

* * *

Wyldon marched out immediately, clearly having no desire to interact with this mess on any level. If Kel hadn't been my friend, I wouldn't have been any more inclined.

Kel's parents exchanged looks themselves, and with face Yamani straight they too left, leaving me with no idea of their feelings. Roald's face was carefully blank, but in a different way. Pity stirred in my chest. Kel was obviously calling their majesties on the detestable scene that had occurred in court, and while Roald surely had a yearning for that to be fixed, knowing his parents were on the receiving end of such a personal wrath couldn't be easy. He looked at the door for a moment, half turned, then walked as quickly as possible out the door. Inness, Cleon and I were all that remained.

"Come on, you two. I'm sure you're stomach's grumbling," Inness said calmly. "There's nothing we can do by standing here and listening to our stomachs growl."

"Jump?" I asked, directing my comment to the dog which had stayed patiently throughout the entire affair. "Will you stay here for Kel?" Inness half smiled, but when Jump gave a quick bark and trotted to the door, his smile grew uneasy. "Daine," I said by way of explanation. Then I let him lead both Cleon and I out.

Cleon's face was set in a near scowl. "That bastard," he growled, voice rumbling deep in his chest. "He made a fool of the law and everyone in the room. I wouldn't trust a single person to his care as a knight. He'd poison them in their sleep because they bored him."

I bared my teeth in a soundless snarl of my own. The scene had reeked of injustice and cruelty in courtroom. I privately wished that Kel would give and earful to their majesties. How could they let a law like that to exist? It gave a bad impression all around. I resolved to look at some law books. It might be nice to know what other little surprises were hiding under the cover of justice- and what laws could be used against a cold-hearted idiot like Joren.

I waved a quick goodbye to Cleon and Sir Inness before trotting off to the library quick as I could. I had no desire to see anyone else for the rest of the afternoon. _What other nobles could have the gall to try this? _I wondered as I wandered bookshelves made of wizened wood. Kel told me all the time that I had learned to question everything and anything from books, and had wondered aloud more than once if I ever got tired of being so suspicious.

I wished I had been more suspicious. Paranoia isn't paranoia if someone is out to get you, and Joren was indubitably out to get Kel by whatever means possible.

I wondered what he would try next.

I had no doubt that he would. He was to obnoxious a creature to give up. Though he had stopped bullying boys as pages, he had found other ways to make lives miserable. I bet he was the sort of child that burned ants with pieces of curved glass.

I tried to settle down with the law books, but to no avail. I went back to my room and prowled around like a caged cat when my looking glass shimmered slightly and a distinct female voice asked, "Neal?"

It was Alanna, of course, and I gave her the shorthand version of the events. She was silent for a second before asking, "Did Jon show up?"

"How did you know he was there?" I asked, taken aback.

There was another second of silence before she said, face inscrutable, "I asked him to be there."

"_Why_?"

Alanna just flashed a smile. "That, dear squire, will have to be answered another day. I must go now, but I'll be back soon after Midwinter."

"Where are we going?"

Alanna shrugged. "I haven't received any orders from Jon, if that's what you're asking. But don't worry, even if I haven't received orders by the time I reach Corus, I'll be more than happy to beat the tar out of you until we do. Sharpen your sword, boy." With those parting words she left, image rippling before disappearing entirely.

I sat on my bed, thoughts mulled over slowly and surely, but drew a blank. I could find no reason for Alanna to send King Jonathan (nor could I believe she had the power with which to send him) to a trial about a relatively small case.

After an hour of circling thoughts, I gave up for the time being. An answer was not willing to make itself known, and a had a headache starting at the back of my head. I rubbed my eyes, feeling suddenly tired. The last three days had worn me out completely. I settled on my bed, closing my eyes for just a moment…

And I woke up the next morning with my stomach screaming in protest. It demanded to be fed _know_ no matter what the costs. It was still a little early, so I found myself in the hot tubs of the palace, soaking away three days of near constant tension. I left feeling much better, though I dreaded the return to practice. The Stump was sure to be in a sour mood, and in those moods he had a tendency to make everyone around him miserable to.

The morning was as bad as I feared. New pages, intimidated by the formidable visage the Stump made with his scarred face, performed even worse than usual, while the rest of the pages weren't much better. The squires performed alright, though I had more than my fair share of bruises from not paying proper attention.

I had already unsaddled Bluemoon and was walking towards the palace when I spotted a strange figure for the area: one of the Yamani ladies, who usually practiced a couple of fields over from the pages and squires, came walking up to me in a short but quick gait. "Squire Neal, am I correct?" she addressed me, to my surprise. I thought that she must have come for the Stump. I looked a little closer and saw it was the same woman who had called for Kel in November, one of the ladies she usually practiced with in the morning.

I bowed properly. "Yes, my lady. How may I help you?"

Dark eyes searched my face, before she said in that same lightly accented voice, "May I inquire if you know where Squire Kel is?"

I tilted my head, brow furrowing. "Wasn't she with you this morning? I understand that you and the ladies of the Yamani court attend practice sessions with your glaives in the morning."

The woman nodded her head in a sharp, bird-like motion. "However, she did not join us this morning. Lady Ilane assured us that she was fine, but when attempting to visit her I found no sign, which worried me greatly. Might you have any suggestions?"

I bowed again. "If you are willing to wait a moment, I can ask Lord Wyldon if he will excuse me from lunch in order to help in your search."

The woman- Yukimi noh Daiomoru- I finally recalled, nodded her head in that bird-like motion again. "If you are willing to do such a favor for this unworthy one, I would be most greatly appreciative." She also bowed in Yamani fashion. I hurried across the lawn, where I was nearly accosted by my friends as to the reason Lay Yukimi had approached me. Lord Wyldon, unhappy to no mean stretch of the imagination, frowned as he considered my request. Reason, of course, won out. It would be rude for him to refuse aid for such an important member of the delegation.

I made my way back to Lady Yukimi. "Please excuse my appearance, Lady Yukimi, but I will be happy to lead you to potential hiding spots for our mutual friend."

Lady Yukimi's eyes crinkled a little, and the expression of laughter on her face made her already stunning features irresistible. "As you can see, I am far from dressed in appropriate attire myself, but I find my worry for Keladry a greater force."

As if we were wearing clothes fit for a ball, I offered her my arm, which she took with the same crinkle of laughter around her eyes.

In truth, I had no idea for sure where she might be hiding, but I had some good guesses. My first guess was the courtyard near her room as a page. Since the sparrows often flocked there when Kel returned home in order to see their brethren, it wasn't to far a stretch.

I was both rewarded and punished for my thinking. Though I found Kel in the courtyard, it caused Lady Yukimi to disentangle herself from my arm, and I regretted the absence of her smooth skin against mine. Lady Yukimi posed what sounded like an angry question in Yamani. Kel glanced at me, and then answered swiftly in the same language, then switched back to Common.

"Thank you, Neal, for helping Yuki." Her face was Yamani smooth now that she was in the presence of Lady Yukimi, then turned to her friend with a small smile. "But truly, I'm fine. Yesterday was a long day and I told Mama that I wouldn't be coming."

There was a stubborn set to Lady Yukimi's mouth that made me suspect that not all Yamani where as emotionless as they liked to seem. "Yes, but I am more curious about the why's of the matter."

"Are all Yamani this curious?" I couldn't help asking. "I was under the impression they preferred to stay silent." Lady Yukimi sent me a scalding glare, while Kel shrugged.

"When you know someone for long enough, its acceptable to show emotions in a private situation, such as with family. Besides, I've been teaching the Yamani the Tortall way of doing things. If you don't show emotion," Kel teased, "then you'll never catch a man! They'll think you to cold."

Lady Yukimi laughed then, and I finally understood the comparison between a lady's laugh and bells. "Who says I want a Tortallan man?" she sniffed, then quieted. "You are alright?" she asked Kel again, face smooth and serious.

Kel used a phrase in Yamani, then looked at me and translated, "It roughly means 'light vanquishes demons'. It's a…phrase, that Yamani's use to say that they are doing better."

Lady Yukimi frowned for a second, shaking her head, "That's not an exact translation would be closer to 'the joy of light kills the ogres of the soul'." She corrected.

The approximations were about the same to me, but I wasn't about to start a debate over the matter. As if seeing our conversation was done, Crown flew down from her tree, peeping madly, and landed on Kel's shoulder, peering at the Yamani woman. She trilled a series of notes, and several birds flew around Lady Yukimi, before settling back in their tree.

She looked a un-rattled, but I still felt she was owed and explanation. "It's Daine," I said, "All the animals around the palace have been growing more human-like the more time they spend around Daine."

"Daine is the…Wildmage?" she stumbled a little over the pronunciation, but said it perfectly after I corrected her. She smiled a little over her success, when my stomach growled.

Lady Yukimi's eyes did the crinkling action again, and I felt the urge to smile in return to such a bright face. "I suppose I'm a little hungry."

"Just suppose?" Kel said, giving me a look that I didn't understand. She then sent the same look to Lady Yukimi before smiling. "The Own's barracks will be serving food still, so if you both want, you can join me."

Lady Yukimi bowed. "My mistress does not expect me back, so I will join you." She then turned to me and bowed again. "Thank you, Squire Nealan, for your very kind help in leading me to Kel. It was a most kind thing to do."

I felt a flush creep up my neck and burrow itself in my cheeks. "Please. Lady Yukimi, it was no problem at all."

"Well, I feel as though you may as well use my nick-name, Yuki. I am sure that I will call on your help again if I cannot find Kel, and such formalities are a bit much, don't you think?"

This time, the flush felt like it would never go away. "N-neal is fine for me," I stuttered, feeling the fool. Though I would never admit it, it was one of the reasons I admired ladies from afar- I turned into a babbling idiot once I was in speaking range.

Kel put and arm on Lady Yuki's shoulder and whispered something in her ear in Yamani. I felt myself grow a little cross before Lady Yuki once more interlaced her arm with mine. Kel ended up on my other side, and before long I was asking them both intensive questions about Yamani culture. Lady Yuki seemed more than happy to speak to me about it, and more than once I found myself listening to a passionate explanation of the ins and outs of Yamani culture. We spent the entire journey like that, as well as a good portion of the conversation during the meal. I don't know if Lady Yuki grew exhausted of my questions, because she answered them in the same straightforward manner, without any hints of frustration.

Though Kel often teased my about my insatiable thirst for knowledge, there was a certain seriousness to it that I couldn't combat. I _did_ enjoy a good book more than anything. I looked slyly as Lady Yuki, and reconsidered.

Well, almost anything.

I was surprised how easy it was to fill conversation with Lady Yuki. Like Alanna, she had a sharp tongue, but she was clever and quick-witted, easily keeping up with the conversation even in Common. I could read Yamani and a few other languages thanks to my training as a university student, but I was horribly bad at speaking them, often mixing three languages in one sentance. The sun was wearing towards the middle of the afternoon before I finally realized that Kel might some time alone with her friend. I had intended to ask how her conversation with King Jonathan had gone, but with Lady Yuki here, I wasn't quite comfortable with posing such a question. I wasn't even sure if Yuki had been aware of the trial.

Nevertheless, it was with regret that I took my leave of Lady Yuki and Kel. I was sure that they wouldn't run dry of conversation; from the look that Lady Yuki had give Kel, her explanation as to her absence had not been adequate, and she had no desire to pursue such a line of questioning in front of a relative stranger. So I have them peace and relative quiet (as the griffin still squalled in the corned). Before I left Kel eyed me again that mysterious way, then smiled brightly and waved me off, assuring me she would visit that evening.

One thing remained with me, however. Even as I bowed and went back to my rooms, the feeling of Lady Yuki's skin against mine stayed with me long into the night.

* * *

TBC


	12. Party

Hey! I'm so sorry that this has taken me so long to get posted. I really wanted to have it done a few weeks ago, so I could post it as a gift, but you know how life is. Now, just as a question- please please PLEASE tell me if you remember if Yuki has magic. I don't think that Tamora Pierce confirms or denies it at any time based on my research, so given that, I've decided to give Yuki a small Gift. This, of course, will be changed if it directly contradicts the canon.

In addition, I'd like to thank you lovely people for reviewing- this story has broken the 100 review mark, something I thought it would never do. Your support is greatly appreciated, allow me to assure you!

I also wanted to make a disclaimer that I realized has been lacking the last couple chapter. I do not now, nor have I ever owned anything by Tamora Pierce, and for this story, I have been using altered portions of the novel Squire. Thanks so much for reading! I hope that you continue to enjoy the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Party: ****a social gathering, as of invited guests at a private home, for conversation, refreshments, entertainment; a group gathered for a special purpose or task**

I never got a clear answer as to what Kel had said in the room with their Majesties, and a small part of me was so entirely uninterested in knowing, simply for the sake of my own sanity. Kel had a way of opening her big mouth that made me both cringe and applause at her ability to be blunt and honest.

I was almost grateful that our lives were all but dominated by plans for the Midwinter parties. As usual, Master Oakbridge was one step removed from an aneurism; something that both I and many of my friends had wished on him more than once. With Master Oakbridge dominating all of my time, I was able to avoid Lady Yuki completely without having to go through all of the trouble of coming up with a plausible excuse.

I took in my expensive surroundings: the Crystal Room was the most elaborately crusted room I'd ever seen in my entire life. Ivy was a delicate covering on most walls, while garlands of fresh-smelling flowers adorned almost every surface. Two hearths crackled cheerfully as the pine inside released a light, woodsy scent. Perhaps the most incredible feature of the room, however, was the chandelier.

The chandelier itself was a bit of an overwrought affair, the silver crusted with sparkling stones and tiny designs that must have taken the silversmith the better part of a year, at the very least. What had drawn my attention, however, were the tiny, smooth mirrors that backed every candle, reflecting light off the expertly polished silver and suffusing the room with a warm, welcoming glow.

As the chandelier commanded attention, so did the king and queen. I couldn't help a tiny whistle at the queen's black velvet gown, a soft and flowing affair crusted with diamonds and pearls that must have taken a seamstress _ages_ just to finish the invisible stitching that held it together. I glanced at Kel; from the look of pride that was dancing over her face, I suspected that the work had been Lalasa's.

I also noticed that Kel avoided the pair at any cost, and wondered again what had passed between them. _No, Neal, you know better than to get involved in that. It's the last thing that you want to do. Right?_

Right.

I sighed then, continuing to offer my drinks to the noble peacocks around me. Most disdained my offers of rice wine and tea, though the Yamani's were welcoming enough of this small taste of home. I hadn't seen Lady Yuki in anything more than occasional glimpses, but even that was enough to keep my attention long after she had disappeared once more among the crowd.

The other thing that had my attention was Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami. The princess, resplendent in peach colored silk that must have cost a small fortune, also carried a closed bronze fan that complimented the colors of her dress. A long, gold chain and bells adorned the fan, which rang merrily every time Princess Shinkokami moved her arm.

It was ringing now, as she leaned forward to listen closely to Prince Roald's words, face holding the barest hint of a smile, but otherwise impassive. Her returning words were equally quiet, and Prince Roald manufactured an interest as he listened to his bride-to-be. I sighed, thinking, _If Roald is going to survive, he'd better ask the princess for lessons in how to disguise boredom a little bit better. Even I can tell that he's not in the least pleased to be here._

"Why thank you, yes, I would adore some tea," Lady Yuki said from beside me, face carefully neutral.

"Ah-" I started at the sound of her voice, recovering faster than I could have imagined, and bowed, offering the tray to her. "Of course, Lady Yukimi. Please take whatever you wish."

Her eyes were crinkling in that amused expression again, though I didn't know why. "Thank you. Have you been avoiding me?"

The point blank question was far from what I'd been expecting from the withdrawn Yamanis, and I started again, shocked. I cleared my throat twice before I could manage the words, "No, Lady Yukimi. My duties, however, require that I attend to my lessons with Master Oakbridge. He prefers that we not make mistakes."

Lady Yuki's eyes crinkled again, and I found myself gazing at her beauty once more. Her kimono was a brilliant sky blue, highlighting the almost bluish tone present in her black hair. The gold phoenixes brought out the gold of her skin; her obi of dark blue silk while her under kimono was purest white.

I knew I was staring, but I couldn't look away. To hide my mortification, I bowed, and by the time I'd stood once more, Lady Yuki was gone to speak with her mistress, one more addition to the steady stream of people greeting the couple. The blush slowly died from my cheeks, but I wove my way through the guests, seeking out Kel.

I found her within minutes. Kel and Cleon were next to each other in the doorway, speaking quietly. As I approached, I caught the tail end of the conversation.

"No, it's 'mirage of delight' today. 'Pearl of my heart' was when I was but a mere boy." The pair cast their eyes around the party, though I didn't know if they were looking for something in particular. Then Cleon continued, "I hate to say it, my dear, but I think our prince is a fathead. There he sits, with the most gorgeous creature in shoe leather, excepting your luminous self, of course-"

Cleon's eyes shuttered briefly to Kel, who was still staring out into the party, and something passed over his face when Kel's only response was a straight-faced, "Of course."

Cleon turned his face away and finished, "- without a word to say. Somebody should tell him the lady can converse, and sensibly, too." Cleon straightened his shoulders. "If I don't return by dawn, wear my handkerchief beside your heart forever." With those parting words, he disappeared back into the party behind a clump of guests.

_Now, what do I make of that?_ I wondered as I approached Kel. I couldn't see her expression as she rearranged the items on her tray so it would balance more easily in once hand. "Did Cleon kiss you for Midwinter luck?" I drawled into her ear.

She stood, giving me a very dry look. "Did Princess Kalasin ask for a dance at the ball tomorrow night?" she retorted. "Cleon doesn't mean that stuff, he's just practicing." I watched her for a moment, but her brown eyes remained clear. "Is Lady Alanna here?" she asked, just a hint of hope in her voice.

I shook my head. "Home to Pirate's Swoop. Happily leaving me to Lord Wyldon's guidance while she embraces the Baron and children."

Kel smiled up at me. "You're doomed," she teased cheerfully, and then she too left.

I returned to my duties, and found that my attention had slipped from both Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami in favor of catching what glances I could of Cleon. Something in his eyes had suggested that he'd wanted Kel to make a bigger deal of his words than she had.

"Hello," I greeted when I finally caught up with Cleon. He turned, glancing at me, and then smiled.

"Hey," he returned. "What are you doing for Midwinter luck?"

"Dancing with Princess Kalasin." I informed him flatly.

"What?" he exclaimed, shocked. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm disappointed that you don't believe me…but no. I'm not dancing with Princess Kalasin."

Cleon let out a long, slow exhale. "Mithros, don't scare me like that! Though that would be a sight to see." He clenched his eyes shut. "Nope, I simply cannot imagine it. My powers have completely failed me. Neal, dancing with Princess Kalasin-" Cleon shook his head. "I think my brain is melting."

"That vote of confidence is simply stirring, allow me to assure you. If I ever need advice as to how to woo a female, I'll be sure not to go to you first." Before he could return with a greater insult, I asked, "What are you going to for Midwinter luck? Kiss Kel?"

Cleon looked taken aback. "W-where would you get that idea?" He asked, managing to stutter on no more than the first word. I had to give him credit. He looked as though he was going to say more, than stopped, looking at someone over my shoulder. I turned, and saw Kel making her way toward us.

"Come here," she demanded, pulling us towards Lady Yuki. Kel continued, taking everyone into the serving room. "Yuki, have you met my friends?" she asked. She knew that Lady Yuki and I had been introduced, but I didn't think that Cleon and Lady Yuki knew each other. We bowed in the proper Yamani fashion, something that Lady Yuki returned. "I think we agree, Roald and Shinkokami need to start talking. Now, Shinko-"

"Shinko?" I couldn't help interrupting.

Kel smiled at me. "It's her nickname- she gave me permission to use it when we were little. Anyways, she wants to hear about that bandit hunt I was on this summer. Lord Raoul is in the book room- he's _really_ good at helping people relax. If you lads-"

"I am a man, I'll have you know," I interjected loftily. I put a hand on my chest. "Five years older-" I stressed, only to have Kel elbow me, effectively ruining any chance I had at dignity. Lady Yuki giggled behind her fan, and I found I couldn't meet her gaze.

"Hasn't Lady Alanna taught you not to interrupt?" Kel asked, then commanded, "Pay attention. Can you two-" she met my gaze, then Cleon's "- get Roald interested? Otherwise he won't come- he'll think Shinko will be bored." Kel put her hands on her hips, a measure of her frustration. "And she won't say anything to _him_. She's worried he'll believe she's unmaidenly for wanting to hear about it." I didn't have any idea where Kel might have gotten her hands on that information, but waited for her to finish. "If we get them with Lord Raoul, though, and maybe Commander Buri, they'll be so interesting that Roald and Shinko might relax."

Cleon looked momentarily confused. "Why would he think she's unmaidenly?" he protested. "His own mother hunts bandits."

Lady Yuki frowned for the briefest second, a clear indication of her vexation. "Prince Eitaro told my lady that men with unconventional mothers want conventional wives." The vexation had moved into her cheeks, painting them red. "I don't think it's true-"

"Me neither," I hastened to say, only to hear it echoed by both my friends. We grinned at each other.

"This plan is good," Lady Yuki said, snapping her fan shut and tapping against her opposite hand. Then, she tapped it against my chest. "Signal me when you have Prince Roald's interest," she commanded before bustling off, theoretically to hide in the wings and convince Princess Shinkokami to join Roald, Cleon and me.

I sighed. "Bossy little thing. Let's go hook Roald, Cleon." We followed Lady Yuki out, while Kel spit off in another direction, presumably to make sure that Lord Raoul was ready to do his part. Cleon and I brought our serving platters with us, expertly weaving through even the densest clouds of nobles.

I don't know if Mithros was smiling on us, or if Lady Yuki had already whisked the princess away, but we had caught Roald on one of the rare moments when he and Princess Shinkokami were separated. I had no idea where she'd gone, but I didn't mind all that much. It was Lady Yuki's job to convince Princess Shinkokami, and she was sure to do a much better job of it than we would have.

"How are you doing, Roald?" I greeted.

Roald looked up, surprised to see me. "Neal! I'm fine, how are you?"

"How can you just be fine?" Cleon cried from his other side. I gave him a look. We didn't need nobles to complain about loud noises; that would put a decided damper on the mood we were trying to create. In a much quieter voice Cleon said, in a mocking scold, "You have the most beautiful woman in the room as your companion for the evening and you've just been sitting here like a…a…"

Cleon struggled to find words, so I supplied, "Wet trout?"

The red head shrugged. "Eh, that's not a bad approximation."

Seriously, I said, "Thank you."

With our digression out of the way, we turned our attentions back to Roald. "Really," I pressed. "I should think that the least you could do is try to woo such a beautiful woman properly! Show her you're interested, not only in what she says, but that you're interested in revealing who you are!"

"What do you think I've been doing all evening?" Roald asked, cross. "Sitting here as though I were a blind and dumb monkey?"

Cleon and I exchanged looks. "Perhaps it's best if we don't answer that question," I told him, delicately examining my nails. "Not unless you're sure you'll like the answer."

Roald raised an eyebrow at our teasing, turning his face into a miniature version of the king's. "Fine. What would you suggest, oh wise and cultured adults who were _formerly_ my friends?" He asked tartly, keeping the raised eyebrow and adding an expression of disbelief. "You, with your many conquests are sure to be a wealth of knowledge."

"But of course we are!" Cleon declared stalwartly. "And because we are such kind and loving friends, we are willing to reveal the deep, inner secrets of the female mind."

"Alright, tell me. What should I do to woo Shinkokami?" His tone was bland, but he leaned forward, interested. Cleon and I exchanged a victorious look.

"Well, it goes something like this," Cleon began.

"Our dear friend Kel was thinking that it might be fun to introduce Princess Shinkokami to her knight-master Lord Raoul. Him being so knowledgeable about so many things and such a nice person, he might be able to share some interesting stories with your dear Princess Shinkokami. As the Commander for the King's Own, he's been at every important battle in Tortall for the last fifteen years, plus a multitude of others."

"And a little bird- a very sweet, pretty, bossy bird-" I couldn't avoid seeing Cleon's direct, yet teasing glance in my directions, and motioned for him to keep talking, "-told us that Princess Shinkokami was interested in hearing more about some of those battles. And wouldn't you just be the sweetest prince in the world-"

"The very sweetest prince in the world-" I agreed.

"If you offered to take her to meet Lord Raoul, I'm sure she would just fall head over heels in love with you for seeing to such a passionate interest."

"Passionate?" I could tell Raoul was wavering, bored enough to want to be anywhere but in the Crystal Room, while still wanting to get to know more of his bride to be. Our offer gave him the opportunity to do both. While Roald was deciding, I look around, spotting that bright blue kimono almost instantly, and waved my hand as subtly as I could.

Lady Yuki caught my motion, glanced at me and nodded, quickly and shortly, and within a moment's time was drawing Princess Shinkokami back over to where the three of us waited.

As I watched Roald out of the corner of my eye, I could practically see him stiffening into the shy but cool man that had been the princess's companion all evening.

Once Princess Shinkokami was close enough, both Cleon and I bowed, though deeper than we had to Lady Yuki. "Good evening," she welcomed, skirts rustling with every movement. Like Lady Yuki, there was the slightest hint of an accept, but her common was as clear to understand as that of anyone else. There was a pause, where we all waited impatiently for Roald to speak, but he couldn't seem to manage to meet the princess's eyes.

After shooting him a glare that said, "I'm only going to do this once," I opened the conversation with a quick, "I hope that you are enjoying yourself, Princess Shinkokami."

"Yes, thank you for asking." The princess smiled shyly in my direction, clearly unsure of how to respond to Roald's friends.

"Ahh…" Roald said intelligently, and then stood, as if that would help him gather courage. "Would you mind if I introduced you to Lord Raoul? I was told that, uh, you were interesting in hearing more about some of the battles that the King's Own had been in." Roald's voice was neutral and calm now, and his face didn't give any of his thoughts away.

Princess Shinkokami's tone was just as guarded as she said delicately, "Yes, I have expressed some interest. I would be willing to make his acquaintance."

Roald nodded. "That's wonderful," he commented, words coming out in a low, quiet tone that made the princess have to lean forward every so slightly to catch them. "I would love to introduce you, in that case," he said, and the shyness was becoming clearer.

The princess smiled hesitantly, taking Roald's offered arm. Their walk was slow, measured, their conversation still almost painfully stilted. _But at least Lord Raoul can remedy that, I hope. Once they get over that ridiculous shyness that they both seem to possess in spades, they might actually be good for one another._ Their departure, however, was our clue to return to our work.

"I'm going to go keep an eye on them," Lady Yuki said in quick explanation before hurrying off to follow her mistress. Cleon and I also went out separate ways, returning to our work. I saw Kel slip out several times to make sure that things were progressing well, and from her satisfied smile, I was betting that Roald was beginning to realize that the princess wasn't an alien creature concerned solely with fashion, while Princess Shinkokami was beginning to realize that the prince wasn't as enamored of conventional woman as Prince Eitaro had believed.

I was relieved when the second shift of squires arrived to take our places. Kel had already disappeared by the time I left my tray in the serving room and left, curious to see just how the prince and princess were getting along now. Cleon joined me in the hallway, his own expression echoing mine; it would be disappointing if, after all that word to get Roald interested, nothing came of it.

By the time we entered the book room, it was clear that we didn't have anything to worry about. Both were firing clear, concise questions at Lord Raoul almost faster than he could answer them, sharing delighted looks and soft, subtle touches when they were especially interested in something the other had said.

When Princess Shinkokami said something particularly interesting, comparing a tactic used in the Immortal's War to a similar one used in the Yamani Islands, she found herself pressed for a better description. Glowing, she provided more details, precise and unerring.

"She's something else, isn't she?" a voice whispered into my ear.

I jumped, looking over my shoulder. Lady Yuki flashed a tiny smile, not bothering to hide it behind a fan. "Yes, she is." Realizing how it could be construed, I hastened to correct, "She and Roald are very well matched for each other."

Lady Yuki nodded briskly. "Yes." I waited for her to continue, to no avail. I looked around, unsure of how to keep the conversation going. People were wandering in and out of the room, adding their own opinions and stories to the ones already offered. Even Kel was continually pressed for more information, her stories considered as valuable, at least by Shinkokami, as those given by Lord Raoul.

Even I became more interested as the night progressed. These conversations weren't like the dry lectures of battles that Wyldon had given to us as pages. Lord Raoul must have been a master storyteller in another life- I felt like I was there through every battle.

Even in my fascination, I couldn't help but notice that Lady Yuki stayed close to my side as the night progressed, leaning over my shoulder to peer at my friends. It wasn't until Numair and my father stopped in for a moment, spotting me and drawing me aside that she left, talking a few steps away to give us privacy.

"How are you doing?" My father asked, giving me a hug. Numair also greeted me with a bright smile, something that I returned. I had enjoyed all my lessons with him as a page.

"There is a mages party later this evening," my father informed me, trying to brush aside my bangs. I squirmed out of his grip, giving him a look that stated 'I am not a child'. My father sighed, but relented. "It's not going to be big, but myself, Numair, Daine, Prosper, Ouna, Tkaa, and some others will be there." He shrugged, indicating that the party would be relaxed, unlike the evening early, stiff affair. "You could stop by for a little while, and leave as you please. It's in the Ruby Room"

I thought for a moment, gauging how tired I was, then smiled. "Yes, I'd love to come."

Numair grinned down at me. "Excellent. You know, I've been meaning to talk to you more about the Talrith scrolls that you were interested in. I've decoded a little more and-"

He was cut off as my father, sighing lightly for his friend's somewhat distracted countenance, pulled him out of the room, both waving a brief goodbye. Numair caught my eye, indicating that he would tell me the rest of the story later, something that I looked forward to.

"Mages party?" Clearly, though Lady Yuki had intended to give us privacy, she'd heard what we were talking about. She blushed then, soft roses blooming in her cheeks as she realized that she'd just admitted to listening to the conversation.

She looked away, mortified, fan already rising to cover her face. _But I don't want her to cover her face_, I realized, heart beating a little out of rhythm. "Yes," I agreed easily. "That was my father, Duke Baird of Queenscove and Numair Salmalin."

"Really?" Curiosity and open fascination were filling her eyes. As if just noticing that fact, Lady Yuki looked down, fan rising up promptly and hiding most of her lovely features.

I swallowed, and before my mind could contest what my mouth was going to say, I blurted, "Do you want to go with me?" My heart was galloping out of control, red flush in my cheeks, body quivering with adrenaline as I waited for her response.

Lady Yuki fanned her face, hand moving carefully, almost idly. "Yes," she said. "I would enjoy that." Her voice carried just the barest shiver of excitement, and she couldn't quite meet my eyes.

Relief poured through my body, making my response giddy. "Great! That's great! I would love to take you!" Then I immediately continued, wanting to clarify my words, unwilling to sound eager when she had agreed in such a demure fashion. "You know, because it will be an interesting experience."

"Yes," she agreed instantly. "And interesting experience."

I smiled at her, too wide and bright, probably, but I couldn't help the anticipation rolling through my body. _I like her. I like her a _lot._ And I like her in a different way than any other female before_. I thought, my interest in Lady Yuki finally voiced by conscious thought. The idea quickly began to give me heart palpitations; however, as I realized that I would not have to prevent myself from becoming a fool for the rest of the evening. To distract myself from the thought, and from the dizzying nervousness that was rising in my stomach I asked, "Are you a mage?"

Lady Yuki slowly removed the fan from its position in front of her face, closing it with a snap that was perhaps a touch less sharp than it had been all evening. "Not much," she admitted. "I'm good at fire and I can see if food has been poisoned. A few other, minor things, but those two are the most important."

_Well, they would be, considering that she is a princess's lady-in-waiting. Both could be very useful skills if someone doesn't want the princess to be among the living any more. _I paused, unsure of what kind of response to give. If I launched into my own talents, which were in fact greater than hers, I might give her a boastful impression, but if I lied, that would probably come back to haunt me- Lady Yuki solved my problem however, when she asked, in a quiet, almost shy tone, "And you?"

I resisted the urge to shove my hands into my pockets or otherwise fidget. "Umm, I can heal pretty well. That's what I do best, since I was at the University as a healer before I became a page.

Lady Yuki's eyes brightened. "Yes, Kel had mentioned that you'd done that, and said that you are working with Lady Knight Alanna to further your skills." I blinked, then felt absurdly pleased that she'd remember such a detail about my life.

"Yes, that's true." I didn't even notice as those around me slowly started to filter out, until only the original few remained. "Ummm…" I trailed off, looking away as yet another blush took its time covering my face. "Would you like to go now?"

Lady Yuki hid her face behind the fan, though I could still spot the barest of blushes on her smooth, round cheeks. I gave a quick bow, then tapped Kel on the shoulder.

"Lady Yuki and I are going to the mages party," I informed her, feeling that in lieu of a parent, I was going to make sure a friend knew where we were going.

Kel looked at my face in absolute surprise, then she smiled, slow and devious. "It's not like that!" I declared, voice just barely loud enough to be heard. _Although, I'd really like it if it was_, Another voice whispered in the back of my mind.

As though Kel had heard it, though, she raised an eyebrow and asked in a light, teasing voice, "Neal, you better have good intentions, or you will have more than a few females armed and ready to hand you your head at the earliest transgression."

If my blushes before were gentle breezes, this was a hurricane's wind. "I don't- I'm not- But!" I spluttered, sounding incoherent even to myself. _I'm not expecting anything_, I wailed in my mind.

Taking pity on me, Kel patted my shoulder. "Have fun," she murmured under her breath, giving me a light shove back in Lady Yuki's direction. "She's a wonderful person, Neal. Just be careful."

I swallowed thickly, nodding. "Thanks," I whispered back before heading off. I offered the Yamani my arm with another bow, happiness swelling when she took the proffered arm with a sweet smile.

"It's in the Ruby Room," I explained as we left the bookroom attached to the Crystal Room. "I guess the name is pretty self-explanatory, but the room was the first designed of it's kind. Jeweler Timone Darler designed it a little over a century ago, and it's been pretty much the same ever since. It's not the grandest room in the castle anymore, but it's got a history like nothing else." I couldn't look at her fact, worried that my babbling wouldn't ever stop. When I paused for breath, however, she made an inquiring noise. I risked a glance at her, exhaling slowly when I realized there was nothing but genuine interest in her new surroundings. "I don't want to ruin the looks, so I won't tell you anything about it, but…it's my favorite room." I'd been taken there by my father once or twice in my youth, to attend that self-same mages party. I cleared my throat. "Most of the original gems are still in place, though the chandelier had to be replaced the year than King Jonathan took the crown."

"Oh?" Lady Yuki's voice was still inquisitive, though I worried that she might be bored despite the apparent interest in her voice.

I forced myself to continue. "The earthquake that shook the palace that day cracked the ceiling, causing the chandelier to fall and shatter. The chandelier caused a whole host of other problems, tearing the original drapes and destroying every piece of glass in the room, including windows. Most of the original jewels were salvageable, at least, even if they needed to be altered. Goldsmith John Sheppard was the one who replaced the chandelier, but the Ruby Room didn't open again until the second Midwinter of King Jonathan's reign. It was the first non functional room in the palace to be repaired, since its such a historical object. They were lucky enough that the portrait of Queen Alyssa had been painted with the original Ruby Room as a backdrop, and moved it into the room."

"But still…such a loss of history," Lady Yuki said, and I was shocked at her truly mournful tone.

I found myself wishing for nothing more than to cheer her up. "Well, it happens. I mean, the scrolls of Gavar were almost entirely destroyed. At least we have a concrete representation of how the room used to be; we don't have but an eighth of Gavar's total collection."

"I suppose." Lady Yuki no longer sounded mournful, just wistful. "Well, you've made the room sound so exciting, I can't wait to see it for myself!"

My heart jumped from one fear to another. _What if she doesn't like it? What if she thinks it's gaudy, or thinks you a fool because of your interest? What if she-_ I closed my eyes, trying my hardest to stem the thoughts before I drove myself insane. _Last turn… _I thought to myself, before saying aloud, "Here is our destination, Lady Yuki," and escorted her through the large and heavily designed oak door.

As always, the first thing to catch my attention was the sheer size of the room; only the formal Gold Room was larger. Four hearths were spaced equally around the room, polished brass at their backs providing the majority of the light for the room. Ropes of pine crossed the tops of the hearths, tied in place and out of reach of the fire by slim gold twine. Like the Crystal Room, candles were in the large windows and festive red poinsettias were on every flat surface.

Brilliant red brocade drapes, embroidered with gold and silver creatures and gods, tied back with golden ropes framed each window and presented views of the frozen starry sky beyond. Polished wood chairs with cushions in various shades of red filled the room to bursting, and considering the number of people happily chatting with each other, standing and sitting, that was probably a good thing.

Palace servants served this party, though even they were more relaxed, echoing the mood set by the mages already present. I glanced around, noting the wood panels that covered the walls were glazed dark. On the wall immediately to the left was Queen Alyssa's portrait, on the right wall two large, sweeping landscape views that had obviously been drawn from the palace grounds. To match the room all three were framed in elegant gold.

With everything else noted, I turned my gaze upwards, finally taking in that beautiful chandelier. Unlike the overdone affair in the Crystal Room, the Ruby Room's chandelier was delicate, thick middle piece branching off into four ever widening tiers of candles, all pristine white. The gold had been etched, swirling soft patterns creating the illusion of living metal. Rubies were set into the chandelier itself, while gold backed the candles, throwing both gold and red lights twirling around the room, making the atmosphere even more cheerful.

The final touch to the room were the clear glass snowflakes, hung in the air with magic. They caught every strand of light in the room and reflected it, sometimes in a spray of rainbow color, sometimes in soft and simply white light.

"Beautiful," Lady Yuki murmured, tightening her grip on my arm.

"Really? You think so?" I was as worried for her answer as though I had designed every detail of the room myself, instead of merely telling her the history behind it.

Lady Yuki turned slightly, meeting my gaze with the most beautiful, clear and penetrating eyes I'd ever seen. She smiled then, wide and unadulterated. "Yes," she said again, words a promise.

I couldn't do anything but smile back.

* * *

TBC


	13. Undercover

This chapter is a little briefer, mostly because the stopping point is a really nice cliffhanger. This chapter's ending is actually inspiration from a friend of mine, who suggested that the Catharki people wouldn't take the death of Emperor Ozorne lying down. On that note, they…well. You'll just have to read and find out.

I also wanted to take some time to thank all of you wonderful reviewers- when I started, I was skeptical as to just how many people would enjoy this. Thanks for all of your support! I hope that you enjoy this next chapter of the one and only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Undercover: ****working or done out of public sight; secret**

The evening flew by innocently enough- I introduced her to everyone that I knew in the room, impressed over and over again at her intelligence and curiosity. We didn't share more than a few lingering gazes and touches, however, flushing when we realized how long our eyes or hands had been in contact.

The best part was when I took her back to the rest of the Yamani delegation; that was when she touched my cheek, smiling gently and said, "Please call me Yuki, Neal."

I stood there in a daze while she disappeared behind the door. "Sure," I finally managed to say to the empty hallway, throat dry. "Yuki…" I said, tasting her name. An agreeable tingle spread over my body, making my heart beat faster. I made my escape then, before I could further embarrass myself. I didn't need anybody to see me talking to myself.

I could feel a foolish grin creeping across my face as I returned to my room and shut the door behind me. The first bell after midnight pealed, filling the castle with sound and the smile dropped off my face. _Shit…I'm going to feel this late night tomorrow,_ I groaned.

With that thought in mind, I quickly changed into nightclothes and crawled into bed, falling asleep with remarkable ease. It wasn't until the next morning as the second bell after dawn rang, that I spotted a flaw in my new relationship with Yuki. _Should I get her a gift for Midwinter?_ I thought, rapidly descending into panic. _I mean, I don't know if she'll be expecting it, and if I get her a gift I don't know if I'll put her in an awkward position because I don't think she's expecting anything from this even if I am, and if I do get her a gift, what am I supposed to get her because I don't want to place any undue pressure on her and…and…_ I found myself cringing. _What do I do? Kel. Kel always knows what to do! And she's lived with the Yamani, so she might know what Yuki is expecting._

My breath began to quicken as my thoughts chased themselves in circles. As quickly as I could manage, I through on the first set of clean clothing I saw and raced out of my room. Sprinting through the corridors to Kel's rooms with the King's Own, I slammed open the door in my haste. Kel looked at me, taken aback and winced as the griffin that she was feeding nipped at a finger, drawing blood. Without a glance, Kel dabbed at the wound with a piece of gauze. "You normally can't work yourself into panicking at this degree until midmorning. Are you alright?" she asked with concern.

"Shouldn't I be asking that of you?" I retorted, running my fingers through my hair. "I mean, you were just bitten by that creature!" I couldn't even look at Kel, instead pacing back and forth within the small room. I attempted to calm my breathing and failed.

Kel sighed with an inordinate amount of patience. "He's not a creature, he's a griffin. And he's done that to me so many times that it's not that big a deal any more. Now, what has brought you down here so early in the morning?"

I sat on the bed, then stood, pacing about the room for a moment, before sitting down in a chair. I crossed my legs, stood again, peered at the griffin- "Neal!" Kel said crossly. "What is going on! Just tell me. Come on, it can't be that bad."

I sat on her bed and swallowed nervously. "Last night, Yuki told me to…well, to call her Yuki."

Kel's eyebrows were raised. "Interesting development."

"No!" I cried. "Not an interesting development! It's a heart-pounding, sweat-raising, in-way-over-my-head development!"

"Right. Like I said, interesting development."

I huffed, annoyed. "Whatever you choose to call it, what am I supposed to do now?"

Kel finished feeding the griffin and cleaned up the supplies that had been set out, refilling the water and leaving a little bit of smoked fish nearby in case the growing griffin became hungry while she wasn't around. "Well, first off, you're going to have to clarify exactly what you're having so much trouble determining. What is the big deal about calling her Yuki? I've been doing it for years."

"Yeah, but you lived in the Yamani Islands and you've been friends for years. I'm just a squire and she's…she's Princess Shinkokami's lady-in-waiting. I just…" I sighed, defeated, and slumped down on the bed. "I just don't know what she's expecting. I think she likes me, but she's got the emotionless Yamani face going, and I can't totally tell if she is just being nice to me because I'm your friend, or if she actually considers me a friend, or if, she, uh, expects maybe more, you know, uh, eventually." I was blushing, I knew it.

Kel let out a breath of laughter. "Alright. Perhaps you should sit there for a second, and just breath quietly until you calm down." I promptly obeyed her orders. When I could breath at a normal pace one more, Kel began to speak. "For starters, if Yuki didn't consider you at least a friend, she wouldn't have asked that you drop the title. In Yamani culture, to speak to someone without the use of a title implies intimacy, as it does here, though the degree is slightly different culturally."

"How so?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. I wanted to know exactly where I stood in Yuki's eyes before I proceeded.

"Well, in the Yamani language, people are traditionally referred to using their family name, for starters. In addition to the last name, a suffix is added. This is where business gets tricky. For instance, the royal family receives the suffix _denka_ while the emperor and empress receive the suffixes _heika._ The upper class families, the lords and ladies usually receive the suffixes _kyou_ or _dono_ with their family names. There are all sorts of class and interclass nuances, involving multiple suffixes and familiar suffixes and so on, which you don't really need to know. The suffixes _san _is used more often for those of the middle class, merchants and farmers and so on. All of these suffixes imply a certain amount of formality and respect, of course. Now, when Yamani become close acquaintance or friends, any number of things can happen. The suffix might be changed to one of lower formality while remaining respectful, or the family name might be changed to the personal name with the same suffix, or the name might be changed to the personal name and the suffix could be changed to a lower formality. That's a rough equivalent of what happened when Yuki invited you to call her Lady Yuki instead of her full title. Her inviting you to call her Yuki is probably the Yamani equivalent of you calling her by her personal name with the suffix _chan_ which is of very low formality, and traditionally used more for close friends, family members, and children." Kel stopped for a moment, eyeing me carefully. "Does that make sense?"

I thought for a moment, organizing all that I had heard. "I think so. Do the Yamani_ ever_ refer to each other without a complex and intricate set of suffixes attached to either the surname or given name?"

"Uh, no, not really. Well…" Kel blushed a little. "Well, most typically the absence of suffixes entirely is used only between lovers."

"Oh," I said quickly, high spots of color rising in my cheeks to match those on Kel's. "But yeah, that does help, Kel. Thanks a lot. Now I know that she considers me a friend, which is a start."

"No problem." Kel sighed and sat next to me, shoulder to shoulder. "Do you…uh, like Yuki?" The slightest accent she placed on the word like left me with no doubt as to what she was referring.

I didn't bother to feign ignorance. "Yeah," I whispered. "I think I might like her." I was immediately grateful that Kel didn't push for anything more. _I don't know if I even want more. I think I might later, but I certainly don't _love_ her right now._ I sighed again. _I wish that liking someone was less complicated._

She leaned for a moment against my shoulder, a comforting and entirely platonic. "That's good, Neal. You're both really good people." She kept her face turned away, preventing me from seeing her expression. Nevertheless, I was warmed by her words. "Did you want to know anything else?" She inquired, facing me.

"Should I…should I get her a gift for Midwinter?" I asked after several long moments of silence.

"Well, I don't know. If you want to get her a gift, I don't think it's a bad idea. I mean, I bought both Yuki and Shinko gifts for Midwinter." Kel told me with a shrug. "I think that this is the sort of decision that you have to make for yourself. I'm not going to tell you what you should do, because the decision to pursue this further should be your decision, not mine."

I groaned, saying, "Why do you choose the most difficult moments to force me to become self-sufficient? You didn't have a problem taking care of Owen or Merric."

"I thought you didn't want me to coddle you like a child," Kel said, laughing.

I shook my head. "No, no, in this case I'm all for coddling. I'm in _way_ over my head!"

Kel touched her fingers to her lips. The motion was odd, and I gave her a wondering look. She flapped her fingers at me. "How can you say that you're in way over your head? You've been in love before!"

"No like this, I haven't!" I protested. "It's one thing to admire a lady from afar- and I know I've said this before, but I really, _really,_ I don't do very well when I actually have to talk to them, or make sure they're entertained, or so on." I flopped back on the bed, raising my arms above my head. I closed my eyes.

The bed creaked at Kel stood back up, the sparrows peeping at her. "Well, you'll just have to deal with it. I'm not going to tell you over and over again that _you_ need to make the decisions in this. Now you're going to have to leave and occupy yourself elsewhere- I have to go meet Shinko and the others for some practice.

I let disbelief take over my face. "You'll really just abandon me in my time of need?"

Kel rolled her eyes, pulled me off the bed and shoved me out of her room. She leaned on her doorway for a moment, gaze more serious now. "I think that you'll be fine, Neal. Trust yourself a little."

As always, I felt as though her words had come from a much older, more experienced woman. I set a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks," I told her quietly. Her hazel eyes brightened for a second, and she flashed a smile at me before turning and shutting the door behind her.

I left the King's Own corridor, brow creased in thought. I returned to my room only long enough to throw on a warm cloak and grab my belt purse- though I had been entrusted to the Stump's care, my duties today were to report to Master Oakbridge, as was that of all the other squires. I had most of the morning and half the afternoon to spend as I chose- and I was choosing to spend the time in the city of Corus, looking for a gift for Yuki.

The morning was a waste; I was unable to find something even remotely suitable for Yuki's Midwinter present. One fist held a skewer of roasted and delicately flavored horse meat, grilled to perfection, while my other hand drummed a random beat on my sword and dagger. Stopping at yet another vendor, I peered at the jewelry on display.

My lips thinned. I wasn't sure that I wanted to give Yuki jewelry, because there was something intrinsically demanding about a gift of that degree. I wandered away from the stall, unsure of what else to give her. Since jewelry was not an option, what did that leave? Clothing? No. Art? Absolutely not. Books?

Now there was a possibility.

_But what should the topic be? She probably already knows a good portion of the history and lineage of Tortall, since she's staying here with Princess Shinkokami when she gets marries to Roald. Maybe art? No, that's not good. Maybe I should look for something on Tortallan magic, since she enjoyed the party so much last night._ With that thought in mind, my feet led me to my favorite bookseller.

I had been perusing the books for the better part of an hour before settling on one written by both Daine and Numair- _A History of Dragons_. I'd read the book before, and it brimming with knowledge. Since Daine had the only dragon in the mortal realms, she had been able to verify some of the lore that existed by referencing it against what was shared with her by Skysong's grandsire. I could only hope that Yuki would enjoy the gift.

_A History of Dragons_ was not the only book to accompany me on my journey home, but it was certainly the one I dwelled on the most. Several times I almost turned back to exchange the book for a different text that I had admired, and each time I steeled myself against such action; I knew that if I turned back once, I would turn back half a dozen times before the day was out.

When I had finally returned to my room, I wrapped the book in plain brown paper, attaching a short note that said nothing but '_I hope you enjoy this- Neal'. _With that completed, I took Yuki's gift along with everyone else's and took them to Selma. She would see that each gift was given to the appropriate owner.

I changed then, dressing in the red and gold tunic and leggings that showed I was Alanna's squire and left my room to present myself to Master Oaksbridge.

* * *

I awoke an hour later than normal on the actual day of the solstice, and my gifts were already waiting outside my door. I brought the brightly wrapped objects into my room with a broad smile, wondering what my friends had gotten me this year.

It's usually during Midwinter that I realize just how well my friends know me; Kel had given me a novel on Yamani folk stories, Merric and Owen gave me good luck figures. Cleon gifted me with a soapstone carving from Scanra while Roald had given me a book on Yamani culture. Alanna had given me a beautiful leather bag filled with neatly ordered compartments. Several pockets were already full of different herbs that were good for healing, charms warding against shock and pain, and power stones not unlike the set I had gotten her. There was a note inside, which read simply:

_Neal- _

_I hope that you'll find this bag useful as a healer's kit. I've already put some basics inside, and I hope that you'll slowly add whatever else you think is necessary._

_-Alanna_

I looked around for a moment, wondering if Selma had forgotten a gift. Yes, I was deliriously happy with all my gifts and couldn't wait to put them to good use.

But I couldn't help but be disappointed. There wasn't a gift from Yuki. I hadn't totally expected that I would get one but at the same time I had hoped. My heart dropped a little, and I wondered if I had made a dreadful mistake. _I hope I didn't offend her. I mean, we've known each other for so short a time, maybe it was presumptuous to think it would be acceptable to give her a gift. _Even thinking that, I couldn't muster the energy to regret my decision; I really hoped that she would enjoy the book.

I sat on my floor, surrounded by my gifts and smiled gently. _Speaking of liking gifts…I hope that they liked theirs. Alanna especially. And Yuki…_ I tried my best to put Yuki out of my mind and concentrate on cleaning up the brightly colored paper that had been wrapped around most my friends gifts, and the plain brown paper that had come with Alanna's.

I stood, wrapping the more delicate gifts, like the good luck figures and carving. They would be going to my father, to be placed in with my other belongings; there was no point in leaving them in my rooms at the palace as I was there so rarely. These days little besides my necessities were in the room. The books would be coming with me, as would Alanna's healer's kit.

I sat down at my bed again, face falling. _Please tell me I didn't screw this up,_ I thought desperately, all the joy from my morning slowly leeching away. _This is supposed to be a happy occasion. _I thought. _And while I do enjoy the gifts, and I am incredibly grateful for everything they gave do for me. I had hoped that she might…_I buried my face in my hands.

When someone knocked at my door, I almost remained silent as I was unwilling to allow anyone to see me in my current state. I exhaled, carefully schooling my face and opened the door.

Yuki stood there, dressed in a fresh kimono, hair slightly damp from her morning's back and smelling of fresh flowers. Her gaze was shy, not quite meeting mine. Behind her, Kel was standing also with that freshly scrubbed look, and nudged Yuki on the shoulder. Kel tilted her head towards me- _Does she think that I won't notice?- _and then pushed Yuki forward a little. Yuki cleared her throat awkwardly once, smooth blush painting itself on her cheeks. "I just came to thank you." Her voice was soft and clear, in contrast to her suddenly shy demeanor. "It was very kind of you to go out of your way to present me with a gift for Midwinter."

I found myself staring blankly for a moment, until Kel coughed. "Oh! No, uh, it wasn't a problem, since you had spent all your time with Numair talking about dragons and I figured that you might like to know Daine's opinion on the matter and since they wrote the book I thought it might be a nice gift and one that you would…enjoy." I finished. I clamped my mouth shut; I was babbling again.

I could tell Yuki was restraining a smile; after being friends with Kel so long I had started to pick up when someone was smiling genuinely or not. I couldn't restrain my own smile and proceeded to grin like a loon. "Thank you," she said again, sincerely.

"It's not a problem. I'm just glad you liked it!" We stared at each other for another moment or two, before the clearing of Kel's throat brought us back to the present.

"Alright you two lovebirds-" we immediately started to protest, only to have Kel roll her eyes. "- I need Yuki to come along with me. You'll have time to see each other later. Bye, Neal. I'll see you later, I'm sure." As she led Yuki away, she mouthed, 'I'll see you soon'.

I waved at the pair as they disappeared once more. Closing the door, I began an impromptu jig. In the span of an hour, my world had gone from good, to terrible, to so spectacularly wonderful I didn't know what I was going to do with myself.

And I was _still_ grinning wildly.

* * *

Later that day I joined my father after I had spent some time doing sword work and archery. I brought with me both his gift and my new healer's kit.

"Neal!" My father exclaimed, smile brightening his face. "You're just in time for a late lunch. Would you care to join me?"

"Yes, please," I agreed, and he set out another set of plates, silverware and a cup. We ate quickly, chatting about the Midwinter ceremonies and parties (my father, of course, included more than a few references to Yuki- including the old favorite, "When will I be seeing that sweet girl again?"). As soon as the lunch plates were cleared away, however, I handed over my gift.

I had inherited my love for books from my father, and whenever we found a particularly unusual or interesting book, we were apt to give them to each other as gifts. This time was no different. During the summer, Kel had procured a book on Yamani styles of healing from her house in the city.

I smiled when my father's face lit up. "Neal, this is very thoughtful," he informed me, eyes serious. "Thank you." His face creased in a smile. "Now for your gift."

He handed me a large, oddly shaped package. I frowned as I unwrapped it, unsure of what to expect. Inside where several splints, bandages, a packet of needles and a large skein of specially treated thread, and a set of scissors. I couldn't stop my laugh. "I take it that you spoke to Alanna before she left?"

"Just maybe," my father said with his own laugh. "And I see you brought it with you. Mind if I check it out?" I shifted, lifting up the healer's kit and handing it over to my father.

He peeked inside, noting the organization. "Very nice," he said, his own eyebrows raising. "This is a wonderful thing for you to have on the road. You never know how much power you'll have at a given time or how injured your patient will be, so that's a great thing to have on hand. As long as it is refilled with fresh supplies every so often, that'll give you a good base to fall back on." His eyes darkened briefly, "Especially on the battle field." He shook his head then, as if to loose those thoughts. "But anyways."

"Thanks," I told him. I gave him a quick hug. "It really is a very good gift."

"I'm glad you approve," my father said with another laugh. He thoroughly examined the healer's kit, placing the new items inside. "Here." He handed the bag back to me. "When does Alanna get back?"

"Uh, soon, I think. She said she'd be back not long after Midwinter. I'm afraid I don't know any more than that."

"It's alright, I was just curious. How are you enjoying being in Wyldon's care?"

"Well, I've managed to escape it for the most part. I've spent a good portion of the last few days under Master Oaksbridge, and that hasn't left a lot of time for other things. So I've been mostly able to avoid him even at the practice courts." I shrugged. "But other than that, nothing really interesting."

The conversation drifted to other topics as the late lunch turned into afternoon before I finally left for my duties at that night's party. I didn't see any close friends there, and didn't serve with them at any of the remaining parties.

The following days flew. Alanna arrived three days after Midwinter, a fact that I was not entirely unhappy about. I hadn't seen either Kel or Yuki in anything more than a large group setting, due largely to the fact that Wyldon realized that I had not been in the training fields as often as he believed that I should be. Seeing as Alanna had left me to his care, I didn't have much say in the matter and every moment not spent in Oaksbridge's care was spent in Wyldon's.

She arrived late in the evening after sunset, growling about the wet and the cold and the snow and general unfortunate nature of winter. I nodded and smiled and asked her when we'd be off; when she told me that we'd be leaving the following day I couldn't help raising my eyebrows.

"Why so soon?" I asked.

"Oh, this and that. Jon wants us to do a few things," Alanna said mildly. I was instantly suspicious. _I don't think I've ever heard her speak so lightly of her duty. It's…out of character. Strange. I wonder why she would speak like that. _I looked her over, half suspecting her to be an imposter.

"Oh really?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Alanna faced me directly, eyes easily meeting mine. "Yes. This and that." Her tone was a warning in and of itself and I stopped again, curious and uncertain.

"Can I ask for any more detail?"

"Well, Jon's not certain at the moment, so he'll probably be giving us missives as we go; I'm afraid I don't have any detail to give you."

I shook my head, confused. "Alright then."

"Yes. Alright. And we'll be leaving as early as possible tomorrow, so you had better go and get packed. Meet me at the stables at dawn, horse saddled."

Her words, brisk and strong without any room for error had me practically sprinting back to my rooms. Whatever was happening, it was a big deal and I needed to get my stuff together as soon as possible. I was packed within the hour and spent another two lying on my bed, eyes open wide as I went through all of the possibilities that would make Alanna's behavior so strange. _Sadly, the strangest thing of all that in the short months that we've been together I know her well enough to know that her behavior is not normal. But there isn't exactly anything I can do about it- what am I going to do, threaten her? Hah. She'd beat me to a bloody pulp. Nope, this is a waiting game, and I hate not knowing the rules._

Some part of me was unsurprised when Alanna came pounding at the door as the bell rang the second hour before dawn; there was the palest of lightening in the east. I rose quickly even as my eyes burned for sleep. I covered a yawn as I opened the door. "We're leaving now, aren't we?" I said drowsily.

"Yes. Let's get going." I shut the door for a moment, threw on whatever clothing came into my hands and was stumbling out the door with my packs in a few moments. Then Alanna was at my elbow, tugging on my arm as we raced down to the stable. We avoided people at all cost, making several detours so that no one would see our exit. I suspected that she also had some sort of invisibility spell going, but I didn't see the glimmers of magic. We crept to the stable in pitch black, swinging the door open as silently as possible. The only sound in the barn was the quiet hush of the breathing animals. "Saddle Bluemoon," she commanded promptly. She then turned to care for a strange horse.

I patted my horse lightly on the neck and ignored the fact that Alanna wasn't saddling Darkmoon. "Hey, I know it's late…or early, or whatever, but are you ready?" It took a moment of cajoling, but finally Bluemoon nudged my chest, neighing softly.

"Shush!" Alanna hissed. "We can't afford to let anyone see us or hear us. No one can no we're leaving."

I resisted the urge to respond, "No kidding," but just barely. I merely exhaled slowly, continuing my work.

She finished in plenty of time to help me finish saddling up and tying my packs in place. "Hurry!" she hissed. Then she shimmered slightly, form distorting for a second before settling into another form entirely. I turned, wondering at her disguise but she was leaving; I followed her out of the silent stable and into the silent courtyard. There she muffled the sound of our horses hooves not with cloth, but with the barest glimmer of magic, too slight to be seen unless closely examined.

The castle was just coming to life; though we were unusual figures, we didn't warrant any notice as long as we moved quickly. We were to the castle gates within the hour and joined the growing thong of people leaving the city, one of a thousand faces and hardly noticed.

_Why is Alanna afraid of leaving a trail? The detours, the secrecy, the changed appearance- though of course, Alanna couldn't possibly _not_ be noticed with her normal appearance. This has all got to mean something serious. Something that requires she go all out to disguise any signs of out passing._ I couldn't help burning a hole in Alanna's back, willing her to answer the questions that kept piling up.

She was silent, however, for the long hours that we spend riding. I hoped briefly that she would stop for lunch but no movement was made to halt our ride. My stomach growled once, then twice; no breakfast and now no lunch was quickly putting me in an especially crabby mood.

Mid-afternoon had us riding into a small town, quiet and demure. There was a single inn in the town; I expected Alanna to ride right past it, to continue this ride to some unknown destination when she turning right into the courtyard, leaving me behind to gape like some witless child.

I brought Bluemoon around, following my knight-mistress. Even in this disguised form she was still stocky, though red locks had been changed for brown and violet eyes for blue. It was startling- once I'd noticed that change, I also realized that she didn't have her sword on either, only a dagger. To be fair, I didn't have my sword on either, but mine was in plain sight, hers was hidden in the depths of her bags.

_Another mystery for the pile_, I thought, lips thinning. _I can't _wait_ to see the reason for this entire affair. Couldn't she have at least given me warning?_ A particularly nasty rumble had me glaring at Alanna. Nevertheless, I handed off both sets of reins to a waiting stable boy and followed her inside.

I watched as she plunked a few coins down, stating, "Lodging and dinner for me and the boy, one room with a pallet on the floor, ma'am." Alanna then fisted her hands on her hips, daring the woman to cross her. I found myself biting back a smile. _You can change the face but not the attitude, I suppose._

"Right away," the mistress said, simpering. I leaned forward, catching the glint of gold. _Ahhh._

The burning fatigue that had plagued me this morning had only gotten worse as the day progressed. So I just waited silently as preparations flew around me. I followed Alanna obediently, carrying our packs up the steps to a large, clean room on the second floor of the inn. I deposited the packs on the ground, waiting impatiently for Alanna to be the only remaining soul in the room.

I rubbed at my eyes, tired beyond all belief. Alanna had not only ridden long, she'd ridden hard, and I was sure that the horses were feeling their own aches and pains at the moment.

Finally, Alanna shut the door behind her, temporarily dropping the disguise. "Neal-" she began, only to be cut off due to a rapid knock on the door. She shimmered for a second again, returning to her disguise and nodding at whomever was behind the door.

A myriad of wonderful smells hit me. _Fresh bread, shepherd's pie, fresh ale, and roasted greens. _I couldn't stop the wave of saliva that filled my mouth. I swallowed once and then twice. I'd gone without eating before, but a lack of sleep and the pain of the long ride was making me ravenous.

The serving woman brought it all in quickly, depositing it on the table and making sure that silverware, flatware and cups were all present before quickly and serenely seeing herself out. I couldn't remember Alanna bargaining for a meal to be brought up, but the smells were assaulting me again, and I decided that I didn't care.

Alanna's eyes softened. "I'm sorry, Neal. It's my fault- I never thought to grab you anything to eat this morning. Please," here she waved a hand at the bounty, and I had no problem sitting at the table and digging into the wealth.

"Alright, so what was this all about?" I asked around a mouthful of food.

"No, don't worry about it yet. It can wait until we've eaten. We can't do anything until-" she stopped herself. "Don't worry, I'll answer your questions in a little while," Alanna assured me, sitting down on the other side of the table. She began to eat as well, quickly but carefully.

I sighed, but allowed the secrecy to continue a little while longer. When the meal had been finished, the dishes cleared away and we had both settled, I finally asked. "_Now_ can you tell me what's going on?"

Alanna paused for a moment then flicked her fingers into every corner of the room and against the window screens. Once we were enclosed in a magical bubble that protected against others seeing or hearing our conversation, she settled again.

"Well, I guess I should begin with the most important fact first," Alanna hedged for a moment. I flapped my hand, impatient for her to continue.

Alanna inhaled, then said flatly. "Neal, Daine's been kidnapped by Catharki renegades."

* * *

TBC


	14. Ally

Firstly, I wanted to address some of the concerns of you lovely readers last week. You are absolutely right- there is no where in the Squire that says Daine is kidnapped or any such thing. However, there is no evidence refuting it. In that light…I'm taking artistic license with the argument that Jon wouldn't want his enemies to know that Daine had been kidnapped. I hope that you can understand this, as it will be the main part of the next couple of chapters; I also hope that this fits in well to the story. Please continue on to read the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

* * *

**Ally: ****to associate or connect by some mutual relationship, as resemblance or friendship**

I couldn't respond. I really, _really_ wanted to respond. I wanted to shout and gasp and wonder aloud what happened- but I was frozen, and for what seemed like the millionth time in my life, I was reminded that no one- _no one_- is untouchable. Not my brothers, not Kel, not Alanna, and apparently, neither was Daine. "How? Why?" I croaked. Alanna had been watching me, eyes dark the entire time. When I spoke, she started just the tiniest amount, as though as long as I didn't respond, Daine's kidnapping wasn't real. I couldn't blame her; I was as deeply buried in denial as she was. _How could something like this happen. It's…Daine. She's not some poor female without anything to defend her. Between her skills as a Wildmage and as a archer…this isn't possible!_

Alanna's face softened, and I could tell she had experienced the same emotions that were causing my hands to shake. She poured some water. Offering me the cup from across the table, she waited until I had gulped half the liquid before she began to speak. "I'll start with the why. It will make the how make more sense." A sigh, heavy and dark. "I'm sure you've been told how Emperor Ozorne was tricked into giving up his throne several years ago, thanks to primarily to Daine, Numair, the Graveyard Hag and a Stormwing by the name of Rikash. I'm also sure that you heard of the work that Ozorne did before hand, with allowing the immortals into this world once more using the spells found in his libraries and trying to undermine Jon's rule. What you might not know is the extent of Ozorne's spies and informants throughout the eastern lands. People from the Bazhir, the common folk, those from Scanra and the Yamani Isles- even our nobles have traded information in the hopes of becoming more powerful under Ozorne's rule, once he had dominated all the lands of this world. That was his goal before he lost the crown. Afterwards, he started the Immortals War with the help of the Goddess of Chaos. Once more, Daine stopped him." I nodded; most of this information was common knowledge now, through one way or another.

"The why continues, however. Though during the Immortal's War Ozorne depended on his darkings for most of his errands and spies, he continued to use his network throughout the Eastern lands. When he died, Emperor Kaddar promised that he would help clean up his uncle's work in Carthak, Scanra and the Copper Isles, leaving the rest to Tortall. That was all well and good; most of the perpetrators were apprehended, the network cut to ribbons as the major players were taken out of the picture. That should have been the end of it. Unfortunately, it seems impossible to overrate the fanaticism of some people. Several people must have either faked theirs deaths, avoided capture, or bribed their captors, and managed to reunite several years ago; their only goal now is to enact the absolute destruction of Tortall, Numair and Daine for their apparent betrayals of the 'Immortal Emperor of Carthak, Ozorne'." There was a gruesome twist to her mouth, promising pain for those who had dared to cross her in such a manner.

I could only focus on one detail. "Several _years_?" I annunciated as clearly as I could. "And no one _did_ anything?"

"Don't be stupid," Alanna snapped. "With all the people of all the countries, did you think that Tortall's truth-readers are perfect? Perhaps someone slipped through the cracks. Perhaps the people involved were keeping things carefully under wraps. Perhaps it was just the fact that we were looking for individuals, not a working system. It doesn't matter if you have perfect hindsight, because looking behind when you should be looking ahead will get you and those with you massacred." Her voice stopped at my sharp intake of breath.

She looked at me as though waiting for me to say something, and when I didn't, she forged on. "We finally caught a higher agent. A maid, infiltrating the palace." There was a grin then, one that had nothing to do with kindness and everything to do with fierce rage. "She made a fatal mistake. She actually lit a candle for Ozorne in the Dark God's temple, and a priest heard her make the prayer. The priest took her to the palace, where she was tested. She tried to lie about her intentions, but Numair just blasted right through them, and we found all the documentation that will make sure her last breath is on the gallows. She was a co-conspirator, one of the leaders in the group. She helped to orchestrate the kidnapping."

"Her name?" I asked flatly. I wanted to ask more, to put features and a figure and a personality to a name, but there simply wasn't time. A name though, a name to put to the conspiracy that could be at this very moment, ending Daine's life was enough for now.

"Lia." I digested the name for a moment, turning it over in my mind. I had no particular association with the name in any sense; it did not match up with any of the women I knew in any capacity. I wondered if I should ask more details, question Alanna more closely onto the who and what and when and where's and of the situation, but found that I had no particular desire to know anything more. It was enough to know that they had kidnapped Daine, a woman who had shown more regular kindness to people-and animals- than almost everyone I knew.

"Now what?" I asked evenly, and for the second time since I had joined Alanna, I realized that the life of a friend was far more important than whatever might happen to me along the way. Any emotions, any worries, and pain could be dealt with after.

The look on Alanna's face was predatory. "Now we are grateful, because Numair is one of the most powerful mages in the world, and thanks to his inquiry of our prisoner, we know exactly where they've taken Daine, and Numair is taking us there. And we _will_ get her back."

I didn't question Alanna's absolute certainty, because it was a feeling that I too was experiencing. "Is that why we had to leave in secrecy?" I asked for clarification.

"Yes- Numair has his own ways of getting out of the palace, but they are for his use only. We had to avoid being watched ourselves so we left in disguise; also, multiple people left the palace in disguise about the same time that we did, there is no way to tell which set is for which mission assuming they realize people have left, and they will waste precious time attempting to figure out what is going on. We, on the other hand, know exactly where they are and have a good idea as to their plans. All the hard work has been done." That predatory look was back, along with the slightest suggestion of teeth. "Now, we'll get Daine back, leave their network in shambles and then leave the rest of the spy work to Raoul, Jon, George and Myles."

I sat quietly, mulling over everything that had just been presented to me. "When will Numair get here?" Though I suspected that I had been given the bare-bones details, I didn't particularly care. The fact that we were being sent to rescue Daine was information enough- I wasn't naïve enough to believe that Daine would be cared for even remotely in the conspirator's care. "And are they calling themselves by a particular name?"

"Numair will be here within an hour or two. I think he may be coming with some guests who are willing to help us with this; the three of us aren't enough, unfortunately. Though our mission is strictly to get in, get Daine and get out, it's not exactly something that will be easily accomplished with three people, no matter how well known or powerful they are. Therefore, Myles and George are sending agents they can trust to help us out." Alanna's lips thinned. "They're calling themselves Ozorne's Slaves, as far as we've been able to gather."

I had started to drift off as she continued speaking; something was bothering me. "Wait…it makes sense that you would change your appearance, because you're too well known as the Lioness. By why didn't you either change me or tell me to get disguised or something?"

Alanna shrugged. "For starters, I'm sure you know how much magic it takes to change your appearance; sustaining it for long periods of time is not easy. It was a calculated risk: your appearance isn't particularly unique-" here Alanna motioned towards her red locks and violet eyes rather ruefully, "- so without me at your side, it would be reasonable that you would be mistaken for another of the servants and various other workers that have to go to and from the capitol, especially with a cloak preventing anyone from taking a good look at you." Alanna grinned a little, and this time it was a softer expression. "It probably helps that Numair created two simulacrum in our shapes, which will be activated and sent down to Pirate's Swoop in a day or two."

There was another detail nagging at me. I thought for a moment, waiting for the idea to fully surface. "How was Daine captured?" I asked.

That bitter look was back, and Alanna was clearly displeased as she informed me, "They got her the easiest way in the world- she was consulting with some animals in the north, near Scanra, and as she was flying back she was distracted; they were torturing animals, sure that once Daine sensed them she would make them stop. They were right, of course. They made sure that the pain they inflicted would be similar to that of a cruel child inflicting pain on those smaller than it. Daine wasn't prepared to be bound down. She tried to call to some animals, but they put her to sleep, and then places chains on her." There was a slight crease to Alanna's brow as she said, "Since Daine went to Carthak and confirmed the existence of wild magic, the University has been doing more and more work with it. Numair, Jon and I thought that would be good, but…I just hate when knowledge is twisted around to hurt people; all that research into wild magic probably showed way to bind it down, or to keep it out of reach of the user. It doesn't really matter- Daine barely had time to send away Cloud before they took her away."

"There's no way a single horse could carry a message. No matter how much Daine might work with an animal, they're just not human. And the people who did this aren't stupid; if they're good enough to prevent Daine from calling out with animals, then surely they'd be good enough to track down Cloud and kill her before she could reveal anything." I stated with disbelief.

Alanna gave me a crooked smile. "No, you're probably right. It doesn't matter. Cloud has been with Daine longer than any other animal, and you'd be surprised to find out just how 'human' she's become. Numair is pretty sure the fact that Cloud has ingested Daine's blood has something to do with it. Regardless, even if she can't speak to Numair, Cloud is certainly smart enough to get back to the capitol and track down Numair; in fact she did, and took Numair back with her to the spot were Ozorne's Slaves-" there was the suggestion in the way Alanna pursed her lips that revealed just how disgusted she was with the entire affair, "-snatched Daine. Numair worked a past-seeing spell to collect all the information that he could, collapsed for a couple of hours, and brought the news back. He got back at about the same time the priest from the Dark God brought the girl, Lia, in. With Numair there to clarify some of the points and get the truth out of Lia-" Alanna put a decidedly nasty twist on the name the second time, "-we've got more facts than our enemies think we have. And you're right on that second part, too. Cloud's smart, though," there was something a little eerie in Alanna's eyes, as if she wasn't sure what to do with the next piece of information. "Cloud hid herself among the horses belonging to a set of horse traders that were headed towards the city. When they thought she was safely stabled, she escaped and made her way to the Rider's barracks."

I shivered. There was something unnerving about the entire situation. The kidnapping, the animals acting like humans, and the fact that there were people who were willing to pour adulation at a man who wanted to rule everything and anything in sight left me feeling as if I had aged a hundred years in a day. "Now what?" I found myself asking a second time. The day was quickly catching up on me, and I before I could stop myself I rubbed at my eyes.

Alanna's gaze was kinder now. "You're going to rest."

I shook my head, knowing I was just being stubborn and completely unable to resist. "I'm fine."

Alanna rolled her eyes, lightening the tension in the room, though the atmosphere was far from anything resembling joy. A flick of her fingers pulled back the shimmering violet light in all corners of the room. "You're going to rest," she repeated, more insistently. "You're going to need to catch sleep now, while you can. Thing are going to be one thing after another from now on. Though I've given you the basic story, Numair will be able to tell you everything in more detail from the beginning. Also, since he is the one who is in charge, you're going to be taking orders from him, not from me for the time being." Alanna settled back in her chair, motioning that I should lay out on the bed.

I began what I considered a most eloquent protest, but before I could get more than three words out, Alanna's eyes flashed and she growled, "You. Bed. Now." Without waiting for my response, she dug in her packs, pulling out a whetstone and a polishing cloth. Ignoring me, she began to diligently care for her sword.

At a loss, I did exactly what Alanna ordered me to do. I sat first, unwilling to give into the exhaustion pulling at my bones. After twenty minutes of my mind examining every detail to the utmost degree, I figured it wouldn't do me any time to stretch out for just a minute…

…and I was out like a candle in a storm.

I'm not sure how long I slept, but it couldn't have been overly long. By the time I had woken up, Alanna too had succumbed to sleep; she was stretched out in a chair, feet resting comfortably on a stood, head pillowed against her cloak. Her face was unlined in sleep.

Feeling much better after my nap, and unwilling to linger in the room while my knight-mistress was asleep, I quickly walked down the steps into the common room of the inn. There were quite a few people around and I found myself nodding greetings when I was addressed but ultimately concerned in refilling our pitcher of water from the pump outside. A maid tried to stop me, insisting that she could do the work herself, but I refused. "It's to cold out there," I argued with a frown, trying to be as kind as possible.

She blushed prettily, the flush spreading high across her cheekbones and released her grip on the pitcher. "Well," she began doubtfully, "I suppose that would be alright…" she trailed off, batting her eyelashes slightly. I flashed her a grin- _Yuki's way of blushing is more beautiful_- and without any further excuses made my way outside, grateful for the cloak and boots that I had put on.

I was glad for the excuse to stretch my legs even if it was cold enough outside that my hand felt like it would freeze to the pump. It took a bit of effort to get the pump to move, the rusted handle disinclined to be of any use. Despite the unwillingness of the metal to cooperate, I completed the errand as soon as possible, and was more than happy to get out of the cold air. My fingers were a brilliant red and I set the pitcher down on an empty table Shaking first one hand and then the other, I returned to the room, pitcher clenched in one fist.

I'll admit, the first thing that struck me was not the gigantic black hawk that was currently preening on the bed that I had awoken from mere minutes before. It was the fact that the window was open and was currently blowing in vast amounts of frigid air that was offsetting any warmth from the fire.

Yelping, I ran to close the door and then the window, realizing belatedly that if I was going to toss the bird out of the window, it would not be a good idea to struggle in opening the window while simultaneously trying to keep hold of the bird. I opened the window again and tried to herd the bird towards the open window, muttering ridiculous encouragements such as, "Go on, shoo," and "Come on, there's the nice pretty window, don't you want to leave before you poop all over the linens? I have to use them later, you know?"

Don't look at me like that.

The bird adamantly refused to be budged, looking at me like I had lost my mind. I attempted to cajole it, panic starting to swell in my throat. I attempted to use my sword to stir it but my motions only made it look more disgruntled. "How did you get in here and why won't you leave?" I finally hissed, desperate. I retreated away from the bird, wondering if it was sent by Daine.

There was an all-too-familiar glitter of black magic filled with a multitude of sparkling colors that began to flow over the bird once I had retreated. I realized what I was seeing with a sense of shock, and could only gape as the bird's form shifted, then stretched and after a minute resulted in a tall human with long black hair and swarthy skin.

"Numair!" I gasped, knowing I sounded like an idiot. Alanna lost it then, cackling madly, and I came to the conclusion that Alanna must have opened the window after I left the room and pretended to be asleep.

"Did you have to do that?" Numair asked of Alanna, rubbing his side where I'd poked the bird with the sheath of my sword. "Every time he tried to move me, I lost my concentration. It took me forever to change back, Alanna. Couldn't you have just told him what to expect and save me the bruises?"

"No," Alanna said bluntly, but her eyes were sparkling. "It's a crown secret, remember?"

Numair rolled his eyes. "It's a little late now, you know. If you didn't want it to be revealed then you shouldn't have pulled that little stunt. Or maybe you could have given him a warning, and he could have…closed his eyes or something."

Through the entire teasing conversation, I knew my eyes were wide and my mouth had dropped open, but I couldn't seem to make them work properly. "I'm so sorry!" I finally managed to apologize profusely. I had thoroughly enjoyed him as a teacher during my page years, and the tricks he had taught us had come in handy more than once. "I didn't know, and didn't think, I mean, I thought you might be a bird sent by Daine, but I didn't t-think that y-you…" I trailed off, unwilling to make a bigger fool of myself. It was bad enough that I hadn't so much as guessed that Numair was the hawk, and now I was adding stuttering to the mix.

Numair chuckled then, and I realized that compared to the rich laughs he had given in class or during parties, this was a thin veneer that was quickly cracking. I took a second look at the somewhat imposing figure and realized that beneath his dark lashes were darker circles and there were thin lines bracketing his mouth.

_He's exhausted. That's why Alanna didn't warn me about him. She wanted to make him laugh and smile, even if was just a little and didn't run very deeply. He loves Daine more than I can imagine- I know that in his position, I wouldn't be able to rest until I knew that the one I loved was safe in every sense of the word. _A mix of sorrow and worry that was dangerously close to pity pulsed through my body, and I found that I had to make a conscious effort to act normal as I returned my sword to my belongings. _Actually, to say that I know what I would do in his position would be a blatant lie. I haven't loved anyone like that before to risk life and limb without care. I admired from afar often enough but...this cannot be easy in any sense. _I exhaled slowly, feeling the tension that had disappeared with my nap return. _What do I say now?_

"When are the others coming?" Alanna asked in the silence that had settled over the three of us.

"Soon," Numair said with a shrug. He settled rather heavily into the chair the Alanna had previously occupied, eyes warming briefly as I poured him some water. "It was a long flight, so I probably will end up falling asleep soon. They shouldn't arrive for another day or two; they're bringing all the files with them. I'll tell you the codes in a minute." He stifled a yawn then, eyes closing briefly.

"Take the bed," Alanna commanded. "The codes can wait. A couple of hours won't make a difference if they're not coming for a while yet."

Numair nodded, eyes slipping closed for a moment. He stood then, unfolding to his full height and brushing his hair out of his face. A bracelet with a silver locket was around his wrist. As he lowered his arm, the bracelet disappeared once more. I was curious about the jewelry, but didn't ask. _A lover's token_, I assumed, then went to my packs and pulled out my sleeping roll.

"That's not necessary," Numair protested even as he dropped wearily onto the bed. "You can sleep here."

I shook my head. "No, it's not a problem at all."

"Men," Alanna grumbled, rolling her eyes. There was a shimmer of violet magic and she was out the door. Within minutes she returned with an extra pillow and an armful of linens and a thick pad. "Why bother contest who is getting the bed and who is getting the floor when we can make a bed _on_ the floor? I tried getting another room, but they're booked solid, and they don't have any more pallets. I figure that this won't be too big a deal though."

She set up the mat expertly, creating a comfortable bed within minutes. "Now, Numair, go to sleep and have some faith. You can't really believe that they'll keep Daine asleep all the time, right? And once she wakes up she'll be sure to give us some directions. Trust her, alright?" Alanna voice was serious and understanding. I looked away, feeling as though I were intruding; though I would say that we were all close acquaintances if not outright friends, I hadn't spent a quarter of the time that they had spent together.

Numair simply nodded to her words, managing a small and more genuine smile. He relaxed, falling back onto the pillows and fell asleep almost instantly, light snoring quickly filling the room. I didn't go to bed immediately. Though it was late in the evening, I sat for a while in front of the window after Alanna had joined Numair in sleep, taking residence on the pallet. Eventually, I moved to the padding and linens after I had changed into my night clothes. I couldn't relax enough to sleep, however, until I promised aloud, "We'll get you back, Daine."

* * *

Our companions came right before lunch two days later. There was a girl, who insisted quite pointedly that we call her Jumper while also refusing to give an actual name, a young boy- closer to Kel's age than mine- by the name of Peter and an elder gentleman, complete with wire-rimmed glasses, a cane and a serious face that introduced himself as Master Kallum.

Looking between the three of them, I couldn't quite see anything that distinguished them as anything other than ordinary people. Jumper was of medium height and I glanced over her slim figure and long limbs with appreciation. Her shoulder length black hair was pulled back in a severe bun, though her matching black eyes glittered with constant amusement that belied the hairstyle. Her skin was the deep golden brown, even in the dead of winter that spoke to some Bazhir blood somewhere in her heritage, only accentuated by hours outside. She carried a sword and dagger on her hip.

As far as I could tell, Peter was unarmed except for a small dagger. He was as short as Alanna with an eerily similar shade of red hair though his eyes were an ordinary hazel. His features were delicate, limbs as long and thin as Jumper's the young unlined face putting him at no more than fifteen, possibly as young as twelve. There was something about the feline grace with which he moved, however, that spoke to a higher level of maturity and intelligence.

It was easy to understand why George and Myles had sent along the younger pair. There was something about their youth and grace that matched the power of Numair and the strength of Alanna. Master Kallum, however, that was simply the antithesis of those ideals; he looked as though he would be more at home in the front of a lecture hall. Though he didn't have more than a few gray hairs, his lined face told me he must have been in his forties at the very least, and his glasses, stooped shoulders and cane only enforced that image.

He leaned heavily on that cane as the group finally made their way up the steps, Jumper and Peter making light and meaningless conversation. We clustered into the room that Alanna had rented, bodies occupying every flat surface. I noticed only then that while the others had sent their things up to their own rooms, Jumper had kept a tight hold on a knapsack slung over one shoulder. Now that everyone had assembled, Jumper removed several sheaves of paper from the bag. "George was kind enough to write everything down for us. I'd let you all see it, but I'm afraid it's in a new code." Jumper's low and gravelly voice sounded objected apologetic for the inconvenience.

Alanna shrugged. "I thought as much. George wouldn't risk something so important falling into enemy hands. I trust you've memorized the code to ensure there won't be any mistakes?"

Jumper and Peter looked at one another, each raising an eyebrow. "Should we be offended?" Jumper asked.

"Hardly. It was a reasonable question. Misinformation is worse than no information at all." Contrary to Jumper's mellow and city-bred voice, Peter's was rather high and fluted, though there was something in it that suggested both a more formal training and extensive time spent in the city of Corus.

"I don't care if your offended or not," Master Kallum snapped irritably, voice a growl. "We have better things to spend our time on."

"Should we be offended at that?" Jumper inquired, eyes sparkling.

"No, Jumper, we should not be. If we were going to take offense, we should have done so several miles ago, when he told us that we were the most petulant and oblivious children he had ever encountered," throughout the explanation, Peter didn't so much as move twitch, hands resting casually in his lap. "Now, if you please, Jumper, I'm sure these very kind people are shortly going to become very offended if we continue like this."

Before anyone could speak and thus prolong the pseudo-argument, Jumper launched into the contents of the various papers. "Alright, the names of those involved in Ozorne's Slaves is an extensive list. There are forty two names, including Lia's. In the interest of time, George only sent me with the top ten names of the group, but of course the list doesn't include Lia's information." Jumper looked around the room as though expecting someone to ask for clarification.

Seeing no issues, Jumper continued, warming to the subject. "The lists includes their name, their approximate age, their features, a basic history, and any pertinent facts." There was that pregnant pause again.

Numair's look darkened a touch. "Can you please just give us the list?"

Jumper sighed lightly, but didn't protest. "Alright, but I just want you to know that some of this information was hard to get. Ozorne's Slaves have been doing everything they can to remain in the shadows and it's worked incredibly well. For instance, our records of their physical attributes are most likely outdated, because they are based on the last time that they were seen." When each person in the room nodded their understanding, Jumper reported in a rather business-like tone, "Name: Illumi Kirin, age: thirty seven. He is 5'9'', with an unknown weight. His features include a prominent nose that has been broken twice and was set incorrectly both times. He has no identifying marks. He has been wanted by the Yamani government for treason against the Emperor for the past ten years, but they have not been able to catch him. He is a recent member to Ozorne's Slaves, and has belonged for less than three years but quickly rose through the ranks. He acted as the contact agent while Lia was an active spy. He has no magic, but is a master archer with the Yamani bow."

"Name: Mirra Silversmith, age: twenty two. She is 5'1'' with an unknown weight. Her prominent features are a scar going from the top of the shoulder to the wrist of her right arm from when a customer tried to take advantage of her. She has curly blond hair, small nose and blue eyes. She worked as a prostitute in the city of Corus from the age of thirteen, and became a member of Ozorne's Slaves when she was fifteen, as the group was forming. She has been bringing in money to the group by continuing her work as a prostitute and is also their arms dealer. She is a mage of small skill, able to create shields that hide things, protect against fire and do some spell charms. Her weapons ability is unknown."

"Name: Jonas Cander, age: unknown. Features unknown and history unknown. We don't know anything about him, actually, and the fact that he doesn't deal with people outside of Ozorne's Slaves seems to infer that he is a leader. Even Lia admitted that though she orchestrated the kidnapping along with her fellow conspirators, Jonas often pulled the strings. He helped found the group along with three others. Both our sources and Lia can't seem to gather any more facts than that."

Jumper took a deep breath. "Name: Ret-am, age: unknown. He is a dark-skinned native of the lands far to the south of Carthak. He has quite a few scars from being a slave, mostly around the wrists and ankles, though he has scars all across his back from being whipped. As expected, he has dark hair and but hazel eyes. Ret-am is also 6'5''. None of his actions can be accounted for since…" Jumper hesitated for the first time. "Since his release as one of the Emperor's personal mutes."

There was an audible sense of shock that pervaded the room almost instantly. _Ret-am's behavior…it's like licking the boot on your neck,_ I snarled wordlessly. Across from me, Alanna had the same horrified expression etched on her face. _How can you do this for someone who inflicted every pain and humiliation possible on your body, mind and soul? Ozorne is like a poison that rots the body from the inside out, even after death._

Numair's eyes were shadowed. "He was one of the Emperor's personal slaves?" His voice was soft. "Daine asked that Emperor Kaddar free the Emperor's personal slaves." With those words, an distant flatness laced his words.

Peter's gaze was assured as he looked at each of them in turn before focusing his attention on Numair. "I memorized the same code and read the same report. You did not mishear the information," he informed the mage softly and clearly, that high voice ringing oddly in the face of such overwhelming astonishment. "Jumper, please continue. If I remember correctly, there is more information on Ret-am."

"Y-yes," Jumper managed to say. "Ret-am is also believed to be one of the founding members. As far as we can tell, Ret-am has had no contact with his fellow slaves since their freedom. He has no magical skills and was proficient in javelin throwing and daggers before his capture." She stopped there, uncertain, but Master Kallum waved impatiently and Jumper took a steadying breath.

"Name: Lillian Amain, age: twenty eight. Physical features include brown hair, green eyes and average height. Birthmark on her left shoulder in the shape of a circle, about a fingernail in diameter. She is the daughter of a Catharki merchant and a Tyran baker. The father, Chirayan Amain kept the daughter in hopes of using her to gain power through marriage. At the age of seventeen, she became the Emperor's lover and her family gained much prestige. He stopped seeing her shortly before the Tortallan delegation arrived. It was believed that Lillian died along with her father when the Carthaki palace was destroyed, but seeing as Lia reported that Lillian works for Ozorne's Slaves, this is assumed to be incorrect information at this stage. She is believed to be the third founder of Ozorne's Slaves. From the looks of things, Ret-am and Lillian work more with the other agents and allow Jonas to create the plans. She is a mage of an unknown skill."

"Name: Nirrin Miyon, age: fifty two. Physical features include grey hair, dark eyes, dark skin and a somewhat limited use of his left arm. He worked as one of Ozorne's gardeners since the age of ten, before eventually rising to the position of Chief Gardener at the age of thirty nine. He has an affinity for plant magic like the current Emperor Kaddar, and he works for Ozorne's Slaves as an intelligence officer; he did similar work for Ozorne, using what was said in the gardens to gather pertinent gossip."

Jumper swallowed, and I could tell her mouth was getting dry. I took a clean cup from the table and poured her some water, getting a grateful smile in return. "Name: Iyren Peya, age: forty three. Identifying characteristics include several scars on his arms and legs, a cross on his cheek, being blind in one eye along with a bald head and the dark skin of a native. He is 6'0'' and heavily muscled. He is from the Copper Isles, part of the same group that dealt with Ozorne during the Immortals War. He is a fighter to the core; he is an expert with three kinds of bows, the sword, the dagger, the axe…you name a weapon and he has experience with it," Jumper finished succinctly. "He has no magical skills and works as backup to Nirrin Miyon, using force to get information out of his victims."

I felt faintly sick. _She can only mean that he tortures his victims, even knowing that a truth spell would reveal if they are lying. These people…they are the worst type of humans on this earth, ones that live for blood and money and greed and lust and a devotion to those that epitomize such disgusting habits: men like Duke Roger and Ozorne._

Jumper, ignorant of my inner rant, continued to speak, though the names were starting to weigh heavily on everyone. "Name: Ayai Irdin, age: thirty five. Identifying characteristics include a burn on her left calf from a Beltane accident and a scar across the palm of her right hand. She is 5'8'' with brown hair and brown eyes. She is also native of the Copper Isles, and we believe that she may be Iyren's lover due to the fact that they escaped the Copper Isles within two weeks of each other and were partners in several state crimes before that. She is a thief, known best for her last three heists, the most notable being the fact that she stole the Tarjil family heirlooms. None of the treasures were ever recovered. She is one of the best mages in terms of stealth spells and lock picks."

"Name: Karahm Ishnal, age: twenty. He is the youngest son of a Catharki nobleman by the name of Zukoto Ishnal. He hasn't been seen since he stole all his family's gold and disappeared a year and a half ago. He is 5'11'', with brown eyes and blond hair. There are no identifying features on record. Since his arrival, Lia reported that their income has surged, which was one of the reasons they were able to kidnap Daine. He is neither a mage nor master of a weapon nor particularly smart, but he is exceedingly good at getting his hands on money no matter the circumstances."

"Name: Silvia Janus, age: thirty eight. She is from Tyra, though we were unable to determine anything other than the fact that she is from the city of Sabinne. We got conflicting results for her looks, as she often wears a cloak with a hood up even in the presence of other members of Ozorne's Slaves and we were unable to determine what her skill set is. However, she did not join until later, according to Lia." Jumper replaced the document into her bag, and there was a long moment of silence.

"Illumi, Mirra, Jonas, Ret-am, Lillian, Nirrin, Iyren, Ayai, Karahm, Silvia," I repeated to myself, under my breath. These were the ten names that were about to become my entire world, until Ozorne's Slaves were treated to the Dark God's eternal rest.

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TBC


	15. Eavesdropping

Firstly, let me apologize, loud and long with much emphasis on the fact that I did not update in over a year. I can only offer the fact that real life, unfortunately, got in the way. I won't say much more than that. However, as evidenced by this chapter, I absolutely will not be giving up on this story, though the updates may sometimes be sluggish. Thank you, everyone who has reviewed to the previous 14 chapters, and I hope that you will enjoy the next installment of the one, the only…

**The Lady Knight's Squire**

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**Eavesdropping: To listen secretly to a private conversation**

"So now what?" I asked, feeling as though I had voiced the question too often for comfort.

"They've still got her under some sort of spell preventing me from speaking with her, and they must have several other spells on her, because I can't detect a more precise location, though I did verify that Daine is still being held at the location that Lia specified." Numair raised his arm, briefly revealing a silver locket on a chain around his wrist. It looked like nothing more than a lover's token in my opinion, but there was no way to confirm my suspicions, as I didn't quite dare to ask him. "If we knew exactly where Daine was being held, we could go right after her. However, I'm understandably unwilling to go in on the grounds that we don't know. I don't like not knowing the odds."

"Well, that sounds like our type of job," Peter said calmly, gesturing first at himself and then at Jumper. "We'll be able to scope out the building without being seen. It's something of a…specialty."

"A specialty?" Alanna said, then frowned. "No, don't tell me any more. In this particular case, the less I know, the better. That way I can't incriminate myself, nor can Neal or Numair. I won't speak for Master Kallum, on the grounds that I don't know what he knows."

"I have nothing more than suspicions," Master Kallum said as soon as Alanna finished speaking. "And I'd rather like to keep it that way, thank you."

Peter shrugged. "Sounds like a plan, then," he agreed, brushing back that brilliant red hair. "Jumper and I will scope things out. Where exactly are they?"

As Numair began detailing what he'd learned from Lia, Alanna dragged me down to that main portion of the inn, where we gathered lunch for everyone and took it back up the stairs. "We'll go out after lunch for a little while, and do some sparring. I want to know what level Peter and Jumper are at. I won't send unprepared children into the belly of the beast, as it were."

"But don't you think that George wouldn't have sent them unless he felt they were prepared?"

Alanna scowled at my pronouncement. "Our ideas of prepared tend to come from different sources. I know George wouldn't send them if they didn't know how to use the weapons they're sporting, but…"

"It would make you feel better?" I suggested, trying to keep my voice casual.

Alanna cuffed me on the shoulder. "Yes, I suppose it would."

I smiled a little, but it wasn't very strong. "How did they do it? How did they bind down wild magic? I thought that you couldn't, since it came from the world itself."

Alanna pursed her lips. "I don't know for sure," she began, purple eyes looking straight ahead. "I could probably ask Numair for his theories, but I'm betting they're using a combination of drugs, like dream flower, and a binding spell not unlike what they used to bind immortals when Ozorne was still Emperor. He used locking spells that tied a griffin's, for example, wild magic to a little piece of his own, and used that to basically force a physical barrier into existence. The harder a griffin would try to remove the bars of the cage, the more of its wild magic would be used to keep the cage in existence, tiring the creature out."

I knew my eyes had gone wide when I caught Alanna's wry look. "Yes. It's not exactly something you learn in everyday class. Not only do you need some serious power to pull it off for more than say, a dozen or so creatures, but that sort of magic requires…" Alanna looked a little pale. "Blood, amongst other things. He may have even used a medium, like one of his slaves, and used their life force as the binding instead of his own magic. In fact, that sounds very much like something that he would do. He wouldn't want to constantly expend that much magic just to keep his menagerie in control. For someone with the amount of wild magic as Daine has, I bet at least one of their mages, if not more, has to work around the clock to just keep the binding in place, though I don't know if the mages are bound directly or if they're bound through another person. I would be directly, as the binding would have more power; Daine has enough strength that anything less could be overcome in time. It would also explain why Numair can't communicate with Daine directly, and she can't use animals to contact us. The amount of magic would stand out to Numair like a sore thumb once he was looking"

"You learn something new everyday," I muttered darkly under my breath.

Alanna's grin was all teeth and terror. "We will make them wish they hadn't, laddie."

"And Alanna is quite the terror when she gets going," Numair agreed as he opened the door. "I could tell you about the one time that she decided the Rider groups at the training camp simply weren't having enough fun, and she terrorized them for three days straight, leaving traps and all sorts of nasty surprises for them before they figured out what was going on."

Alanna's eyebrows met in a scowl. "Well, perhaps you should also tell him that Rider captains should not sleep with all but one member of their Rider groups, and then set them against each other for fun. Furthermore, the members of the group shouldn't allow themselves to be set against each other. And that didn't even scratch the surface of what was going on!"

Numair shook his head. "Females," he said in a mournful tone, but his eyes had regained a glimmer of humor at the exchange.

"Males," Alanna spat back, as did Jumper, who was standing behind Numair impatiently and waiting for food.

"I'm _starving_," Jumper complained. "I feel like I haven't eaten in days!"

"That's because the last meal you ate was an apple yesterday for lunch. It's not my fault you had no luck hunting. You should have come prepared, like Master Kallum and I did," That was Peter, who had pulled forward the desk and bedside tables that were in the room and arranged them so that everyone could be seated, even if the chair in question was actually the bed.

Jumper didn't have a response, so she simply made a face, sticking her tongue out at the younger boy. "Well, I get to eat now, at least," she muttered, grumpy.

After they said the grace to Mithros, with a sobering note asking him to keep them safe in the coming days as they searched for Daine, I dug into the stew silently, each bite weighing heavily in my mouth. I studied my companions as I ate. Numair didn't do much more than tear up his bread to crumbs. I caught Alanna staring at him more than once, half exasperated and half worried. I caught the others looking too, and I found myself watching the other man as well from underneath my lashes, wondering if it was my place to say anything. Then I thought how I'd feel if Kel- _or Yuki, though she wasn't the same as Kel at all_- for example, had been kidnapped and I wisely kept my mouth shut.

"Numair, eat," Alanna finally snapped, eyes bright. "Wallowing in guilt won't help," she said tartly.

Numair's face blackened and a dark cloud eclipsed his face. Without responding, he stood from the table and stalked outside without so much as grabbing a cloak to ward off the chill.

I was the only one who dared to speak, and I wondered if I was being brave or foolish, as I said, "Alanna?" in as questioning a tone as I dared.

From her sharp inhale, I thought I was about three seconds from getting dismembered. Then she released the breath, just as sharply, and said in a voice that was tight with unspoken words, "I know I probably shouldn't have said it quite like that, but Numair also knows I'm right."

I continued to look at her, until she flapped a hand at me, and murmured, "I'll talk to him after lunch. Some time to cool off wouldn't go awry."

I nodded my agreement, having pushed as far as I dared. "You," she continued, surprising me, "will work with Jumper and Peter this afternoon while I watch." Both Peter and Jumper looked up at this announcement, and seemed none too pleased with her statement. "And don't argue," she said as she turned to face the two of them. "I want to have an idea of what your skills are before we head into this. If we want to come up with a plan that will suit our skills the best, I have to know exactly what those skills are and how far they extend, and I'm not just going to take your word for it, so don't even try it."

Peter frowned, and I was surprised at how old it made him look. I revised my estimate from somewhere around fourteen to somewhere around seventeen- the lines around his mouth and eyes that were normally barely existent darkened his entire visage. I saw Jumper looking at Peter nervously, and felt a suspicion rise in the back of my mind, but I dismissed it.

Then Peter's expression cleared, if rather grudgingly. "Alright," he agreed after another moment's thought. If Alanna was put off by such a reluctant acceptance, she didn't show it, just nodded, finished up the last of her lunch, grabbed both her and Numair's cloaks and headed out the door, presumably to calm the irate mage.

The minute the door was shut, Jumper looked to Peter and held out an arm. "Shall we?" she asked.

"We shall indeed," Peter agreed, scooping up their cloaks, but they didn't grab their weapons. As Jumper stooped to put on her boots, bracing herself against the wall, I confronted Peter.

"You're going outside to listen," I stated flatly. When he didn't answer, I moved myself in front of the door. "Aren't you?" I stressed. My tone held a challenge, and he was forced to confront me, especially considering that I was refusing to let them out. As if my stance wasn't challenge enough, I stated clearly, "I'm not going to let you."

Peter sent a look to Master Kallum, who snorted derisively, "I think the squire's got sense. You know what curiosity did to the cat," he finished grimly.

"Yes. Satisfaction brought it back," Jumper responded promptly. Master Kallum snorted again, but seemed to deem the argument below his concern, and returned to his book without another word to the three of us.

"The only satisfaction that'll be had if you go to spy will be on Alanna's part, when she kills you," I shot back, frowning.

"It's our responsibility to make sure that Numair doesn't lose his head before the mission even starts. A person can't have clouded judgment." I treated him to an incredulous look, and without having to say a word, Peter responded to my unspoken ire, saying, "Alright, so the King probably wouldn't have let him come if he didn't think that Numair had the self-control to deal with Ozorne's Slaves as he must. We're still curious, and it's probably still a good idea to have an idea as the Numair's mental state."

I continued to stare at him. "Alright, so your knight master can probably judge that, too, as did the King," Peter agreed. "So we're back where we started. We're curious, plain and simple. And though it may kill us, satisfaction will bring us back. After all, one cannot have too much information."

"That's not a good enough reason, not when you're going to invade the privacy of a man who's lost his love," I spat back, surprised even by my anger at their behavior. "And especially when one of his close friends is handling the matter."

Peter looked at me doubtfully, and seemed to come to some sort of conclusion. With a half-hearted smile, he said, "Knights. Always too responsible and clean-cut for their own good." Shaking his head, he turned away, setting his cloak back down. I looked to Jumper, to see if she would put up a fight, but it seemed that she wasn't going to argue with Peter's decision.

Taking it as a concession, I let loose a small sigh and stepped away from the door. In a flash, Peter and Jumper shoved me aside, heedless of their cloaks or the fact that Jumper's boot wasn't on properly, and were out the door. I made a wordless sound of protest over Master Kallum's completely unhelpful laughter and sprinted after them, ignoring my own need for footwear or a cloak in order to prevent them from getting down to Alanna and Numair.

I careened down the stairs, nearly brained myself on the tray that the maid was carrying up, following the shrieks of the people in the main dining area as Peter and Jumper darted through the crowd. "Split up!" I heard Peter call, and I loosed a series of curses that would have surprised even Alanna. Jumper swerved away, headed towards the kitchens and their exit. I snarled, completely unrepentant, as my hand flew out. I was moderately powerful, as far as mages go, though my talents lay far towards the healing end of the spectrum. Even so, I had power enough that when I reached in Jumper's direction, my power flowed out, the familiar green racing to pin Jumper against the wall.

I paid for the shift in attentions, however, as the door shut nearly silently behind Peter. Jumper, ever the adult, helpfully stuck her tongue out at me. I cursed her out again, but made my way out carefully. If I went barreling out, Alanna and Numair would surely be alerted to my presence, and thus the presence of Peter.

In the same breath, however, Alanna and Numair needed the time to speak privately to each other, I felt. It would be better if I could track Peter down myself and bring him back without anyone being the wiser. That way, Peter didn't hear too much, and Alanna and Numair wouldn't be interrupted at a crucial point.

I stalked outside still without boots, and instantly regretted it. My feet were instantly freezing. There wasn't too much snow out, but the ground was a little mushy, and mud was sticking to my feet. I espied Numair and Alanna near the stables, discussing the matter in low voices, positioned so that no one could listen in. I shivered, my eyes trying to find Peter without drawing attention to myself. I caught the barest glint of his hair on the roof, of all places, and found myself wondering both how he'd gotten up there, and how he'd managed to get up there so fast.

I went around the backside of the inn, spotting almost immediately the stone wall in the back that must have been what Peter had used to scale the building. It was pockmarked, from what I didn't know, but the holes were certainly large enough and appeared often enough for Peter have made use of them.

"Get down!" I hissed as low as I could manage. I would warn him, just this once, because he _clearly_ didn't understand me dismembering him would be a kindness compared to what Alanna would do if she caught him.

Or me, for that matter.

There was movement on the roof, the soft scrape of clothing on the wood's timbers. I could just barely hear the occasional word from the other side of the stable, Numair's warm voice and Alanna's rough one. I couldn't discern the topic of conversation, but what words I could catch were intense. Peter stuck his head out over the edge of the roof and frowned at me. He held a finger to his lips, as though _I _was the naughty child and not him.

I perhaps will never forgive myself for what I did next. In a perfect mimicry of my mother, I pointed at my feet and mouthed in an exaggerated fashion, "Get down here or so help me Mithros-"

Peter's head vanished over the edge of the roof.

That.

Was.

_It._

I have never had particularly strong climbing skills. There were those among my friends who scaled trees and walls with ease. Even Kel, for all her loathing of heights was perfectly capable of making her way up trees with ease, assuming she focused on what she was doing instead of where she was going. Even so, I managed a credible leap, catching myself on the wall. My left foot slipped, and I dangled precariously for a few seconds, off balance and dangerously close to falling before I managed to successfully situate my foot in a crack of the wall.

I moved up carefully. Silence was as important as speed. I struggled to find footholds on occasion, and wondered how Peter had managed to swarm up so fast.

Bloody thief.

Even so, I managed to get up to the roof fairly fast. Once I actually stuck my head over the edge of the ledge, however, it took fast reflexes to ensure that I didn't fall to my death, for Peter lashed out with his foot, aiming for my head. I ducked out of the way, nearly losing my balance once more. Without a moment for delay, I heaved myself over the edge and up onto the roof proper, narrowly dodging another lashing kick that was aimed for my fingers. I rolled back, nearly falling off the roof in the process before I managed to get to my feet, stumbling at the roof's angle.

Peter was more balanced than I was, crouched near to the surface both to prevent being a larger target and- for I saw his eyes flick to the crest of the roof, over which Numair and Alanna were presumably still speaking- to prevent either of them from seeing what he was up to. I briefly considered simply fighting him for control of the roof and then forcing him to return to the room that we'd been staying in, but I didn't care anymore. "Come on!" I called, definitely loud enough to be heard on the other side of the room. I smiled, showing teeth. "I'd like to see what a little thing like you could do."

My insult had done what I'd hoped it would do- it angered Peter enough that he wished rather desperately to prove me wrong. Unfortunately, he didn't have the same advantage I did. Whereas he was rather accustomed to older, taller and bigger males- and if Jumper was anything to go by, females- being taken by surprise by what he could accomplish, I would not be. While as often as not, Kel would use her own body to train the others in how to appropriately attack someone that had the physical advantage, it was just as often that she would help the others along and use my body, as I was certainly taller and bigger than anyone but Roald or Cleon, the first of which even Kel didn't dare to use, the second of which wouldn't be moved by anything smaller than a horse. Therefore, I both knew and could counter a considerable number of moves typically used by smaller men and women to gain the advantage.

So when he rushed me with the intention to drop at the last minute and kick up at me, landing a blow on my solar plexus that would presumably take me down without him having to expend much effort, I sidestepped the blow, grabbed his foot and flung him over my hip in a move that Kel had taught me to counter that very attack. When I'd asked her why she'd taught it to me, she'd smiled, brown eyes very serious as she said, "I trust you to use it when it's appropriate."

And really, in the face of that sort of confidence, I could do no less. I'd practiced the move a million times, but this was my first opportunity to actually use it in battle.

I caught a glimpse of Peter's wide-eyed face as he went sprawling across the roof. I went to pin him, thus ending the fight before it really began, but I'd miscalculated, and Jumper managed to land a blow at the apex between my shoulder and neck that had me staggering away from her, giving Peter an opportunity to regain his first and attack me. I didn't have the chance to prepare for his move, however, as I was too busy fending off Jumper's series of lightening fast blows to various pressure points.

She wasn't as fast as Alanna, and I had spent too much time healing not to understand the importance of each nerve cluster. However, she didn't _need_ to be as fast as Alanna to hold my attention for the second or two that was required for Peter to attempt to sweep my feet out from under me. I jumped them, but it was clumsy, and Jumper pressed her advantage.

It was slippery going. None of us was truly prepared for the cold weather, and we were not armed. I didn't dare spend more than a second or two wondering how Jumper had managed to escape the last binding I'd put her in. I tossed Peter off my back, using the motion to turn into a knee high sweep that knocked Jumper down. I used the second it gained me to pin Peter this time, forcing him down on the roof.

Finally feeling safe, I turned my back on him fully and faced Jumper. Attack and counter, counter and attack; we moved through several styles of combat, but I was slowly gaining the advantage on Jumper. She was tiring more quickly than I was, though sweat dripped down both of our faces and made our shirts cling to our skin. I managed to make her drop, sending her skidding down the roof. I followed her down, intending to make sure that she didn't fall off. She caught herself on the edge.

I was so concerned with making sure that she didn't cause herself undue harm that I was completely unprepared for Peter's leap. His unexpected weight on my back nearly sent _me_ tumbling over the edge.

"Mithros curse you!" I shouted with all the breath I could muster. "How do you two keep doing it!"

"Everyone has kept mages these days," Jumper wheezed, hint of a laugh coloring her words. "If you don't have the spells to counteract their charms, you're going to spend a ridiculous amount of time either in jail or in pain. Sometimes both, because the members of the guards don't have any interest in relieving the pain of someone who tried to break into, say, a noble's private apartments." As she pulled herself back onto the roof, she pulled out a necklace strung with beads. Perhaps half the beads were cracked and blackened, while the other half were whole.

_One bead per basic charm or spell. Nothing too powerful or complicated, but to undo a simply binding spell that I didn't put a lot of power into in the first place, it would handle it no problem_. _I bet they both have one_, I realized, narrowing my eyes. It was about at this point that Peter slammed his fist into my head, and I decided that it might be more prudent if I concentrated on what was happening in the battle, instead of attempting to figure out how exactly the pair of them had managed to break my spells.

After the second blow to my head, I fought to twist back and elbow Peter in the stomach. In the process, I managed to clip Jumper's temple, sending her tumbling off the roof.

"No!" I shouted, stretching out an arm. Green and purple fire blazed, forming a soft area to land on. Jumper landed on it, looking no worse for the wear. I let out a long, strained breath. Suddenly, Peter was far too heavy for me to comfortably hold for any extended period of time. As if sensing that, Peter dropped off my back, mouth open.

I blinked sweat out of my eyes, shaking my head once or twice to clear it from Peter's repeated blows. When I finally managed to focus, I was able to center on the fact that there was purple interspersed with my green. I looked around for Alanna, knowing that she was the only possible source of that purple fire.

Iridescent black magic reached up and plucked both Peter and I off the roof, depositing us gently on the ground. Alanna was already leaning over Jumper's body, mouth tight but eyes surprisingly gentle. "When I said figure out what their skills are, I didn't mean without the proper clothing, on the roof, while we were having a private conversation."

The way she said it left me in no doubt of the fact that she probably knew exactly what had taken place. The tiniest of smiles flickered over her face; only I could see it, since Peter was too busy kneeling over Jumper's still body. Alanna rested a hand on Jumper's forehead, eyes closed and her attention focused solely on Jumper. Within a few moments, Jumper's eyes were fluttering, and Peter's eyes crinkled in relief.

"So nice of you to join us in the land of the conscious," Peter teased.

"Yes, because berating someone who does not have the ability to absorb it would be a considerably futile act. I am not accustomed to acting in futility," Numair murmured. His dark eyes were not particularly furious as he gazed at Jumper and Peter, but he was in no way pleased. I backed out of range, unwilling to draw his attention towards me.

While Numair was speaking to the pair, Alanna working on healing the worst of their aches and pains, I took stock of my own injuries. I wasn't badly wounded. Bruises and a ringing head were the main complaints, but nothing that would need serious care to get rid of, something that would not have been the case if swords or daggers had been used. I suspected that Jumper and Peter had both had daggers on their person, but even they hadn't been fool enough to use them on such an unstable surface, where a wrong move could send them tumbling down on it, effectively killing themselves with their own weapon.

I heaved for breath, feeling out the bruising around my head and shoulders, and a particularly good hit that Jumper had managed to land on my ribs. I closed my eyes, letting my magic filter out the worst of my aches and pains, soothing away the worst of my injuries. My insipient headache vanished, and the bruises became nothing more than a vague, dull throb.

I came back to myself with Numair at the tail end of a lecture that had Jumper and Peter pale. Alanna was standing next to me, purple gaze also directed towards the pair. "They're lucky Numair didn't string them up by their toes," she commented, as though talking about the weather.

I raised an eyebrow. "I don't think Numair has ever threatened to do such a thing, much less actually followed through on it."

"Very well then. I suppose they're lucky that I didn't string them up by their toes, and then some, for attempting to eavesdrop."

"That I would believe."

"Well, don't blame them entirely for wanting to make sure that Numair doesn't run off and try to do something remarkably stupid, like try to rescue Daine all by himself. Unfortunately, they've underestimated both how intelligent Numair is, and how much he understands that I also desire revenge." Alanna smiled, and white teeth gleamed. "We are equally willing to go to any lengths to get her back, and thus can keep each other in check. Something I wouldn't let Numair do I certainly can't do myself. It's a matter of perspective, I suppose."

"Can't see the forest for the trees?" I added.

"Something like that. Except we're in two different forests that look exactly alike. Or maybe we're in different parts of the same forest?"

"I think you're just attempting to stretch the metaphor too far now."

Alanna shrugged. "Forests and trees, pots and kettles- it's all the same in the end, I suppose. Either way, we'd better lend a hand. Numair seems to be winding down, and I don't quite trust Jumper to make it up the stairs by herself, especially not if I want to see you all fight properly later today." I groaned, but Alanna spoke over me with absolutely no concern for me feelings, as usual. "As well as get in your usual training with me."

"I cannot wait," I muttered, making sure that it didn't sound too despondent, for surely she'd double the workload if she heard it. I paused then, curious. "You're not going to say anything to them now?"

Alanna gestured at the pair of George's spies. "Does it look like I need to?" Indeed, when I glanced over, both Peter and Jumper looked thoroughly abashed, staring at their toes as though they had been spelled to flash different colors. Both of them had crimson ears that spoke highly of their embarrassment. I wondered what had been said by Numair that had managed to elicit a response I had not been able to. "Sometimes, a little bit of true disappointment can be more powerful than any amount of anger, something that I know well." Alanna looked tired at that, then shrugged. "So no, I don't think it would be necessary to rub salt in the wound, as it would only inspire a great deal of ill will. Besides, it was Numair's privacy that they were infringing upon, more than my own."

I nodded my acceptance. Then, with a quick nod, I stepped forward and offered Jumper a helping hand, supporting her around her waist. She blinked a couple of times. Nervously, I held her a little tighter, wondering if I should try and persuade Alanna to wait to allow Jumper to fight until the next day. I wasn't completely sure that her landing hadn't knocked her brain a little funny, if her inability to balance quite right was any indication.

Peter, seeing me stagger when Jumper swayed, putting more weight on me than I was expecting, came to lend a hand. "Perhaps we should wait for those fights until tomorrow," I said as I redistributed Jumper's weight.

Alanna clucked her tongue, looking displeased. "Take her up, and I'll take a second look at her. Don't let her sleep until I check her."

I nodded, waving my free hand. Numair and Alanna followed close behind. I didn't hear either of them say anything during the trip back to the rooms, but I got the feeling that they were staring at us; it certainly felt like Alanna's gaze was resting on me, if the raised hairs at the nape of my neck were any indication.

I tried to shrug it off. Master Kallum was in the rooms, looking completely unconcerned. He flipped the next page of his book, and then said in a drawl, "I asked them to bring up some hot water to use as a bath. I figured the three youngsters might need it to defrost."

Despite the disinterested tone, I was ready to kiss the man. I hadn't realize just how cold I was until he'd mentioned it. The sweat which had kept me at a comfortable temperature outside during the fight quickly chilled me once I'd stopped moving so fast, and now I was shivering.

"Yes, please," I muttered. I made sure that Jumper was comfortable on the bed and Alanna was tending to her before I crouched down in front of the fire, holding my hands and feet as close as I dared to the fire. My socks sizzled alarmingly, and after a moment I peeled the muddy clothing off my feet, brushing off the worst of the mud and hanging them near the fire. Peter joined me, not quite daring to get within lunging range, which required quite a bit of maneuverability. I shook my head, moving over so that Peter had better access to the fire without straining to stay out of my reach.

"I'm not going to hit you," I growled, irritated.

"I'd rather not take the risk."

I rolled my eyes. "I swear on Mithros and the Goddess that I have no plans to hit you within the next couple of hours, and I shall tell you if those plans change."

Peter stared at me for a moment, then nodded, relaxing ever so slightly. We held our hands near the fire in companionable silence for a few moments, listening to the adults murmur in the background. When a servant knocked on the door, informing us that the bath water was ready, Alanna and Numair indicated that they didn't need a bath; seeing as they'd actually been dressed for the weather outside, I wasn't surprised. Since Jumper was asleep, it was either Peter or me.

Peter indicated that I should go, and from the sheepish look on his face, I knew that was the closest I'd get to a proper apology for everything he'd put me through today. I nodded, following the servant to a private room. I sighed when the steam hit me, curling against my skin and warming me from the inside out.

With a smile that lingered on me for a touch longer than I expected (I returned her look with a smile, but nothing that would indicate anything permanent, as Yuki's warm face eclipsed that of the serving girl's in my mind) I stepped into the room and disrobed, stepping in the warm bath with glee. When I was clean and warm, I left, indicating to Peter that it was his turn. I dried my hair by the fire, because if I truly was going to be working for the rest of the afternoon, I didn't want to go out with wet hair- I'd come back with ice crystals.

The plans for the afternoon looked as though they might change; Master Kallum, Alanna and Numair had their heads clustered over a set of papers, and they seemed completely unconcerned with either the snoring Jumper on the bed, or my presence in front of the fire. When it was dry, I sat up, staring at the trio.

"Something new?" I asked.

Numair glanced up at me, distracted only momentarily, as was Master Kallum. Then they returned to their papers, deep in discussion. It was Alanna who met my eyes, purple eyes positively blazing. "Get Peter in here," she said, propping one hand on her hip. "While you were gone, the last of Master Kallum's papers came in. We've finally got everything we need."

"War council?" I guessed, quirking a grin that I didn't feel.

Numair looked up, dark eyes meeting mine. "War council."

* * *

TBC


End file.
